Rise of the Fire Dragons
by The wiErDos Association
Summary: Natsu Dragneel and Hyoudou Issei have been living the normal life of highschool since then. But what would happen if the appearance of devils, angels, fallen angels and other supernatural beings came into their world? Would it be ever the same again? With the goal of finding the past and becoming a harem king, both of them will enter in a world of adventure, dragons and oppai!
1. Prologue

**A/N: Greetings everyone... wiErD here... I'm finally able to publish my very own Fairy Tail x Highschool DxD that everyone is waiting for. Sorry for the long wait since I've been running with many stories as of now so this one would be receiving rarely updates like the other ones and can only get regular updates once I focused on this.**

 **Here's the prologue of the story.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own everything except my own plots... All goes to their respective authors. Support the official releases.**

* * *

 **\- Prologue: Forgotten Dream -**

 _.._

 _.._

 _The time has finally come._

 _Centuries of embracing cold, the once great fires will be lit once again._

 _Beings bearing the incarnate of destruction will return,_

 _and claim its rightful place in the sky._

 _In the age of strife between mortals and gods, a red earth will be imminent._

 _The endless cycle of discord will be shaken down to its very core._

 _The long fated day will come upon the rise of a being mingled in both human and dragon._

 _The long awaited time is over._

 _It's time to awaken.._

 _Son of Igneel_

 _.._

 _.._

* * *

 ** _Kuoh Academy... (Morning..)_**

Natsu slowly opened his eyes awake for some reason as he tried readjusting his surroundings once more to the bright and vibrant classroom of where he's currently at. The cause of this uncomfortable awakening was due to his enigmatic dream earlier. Images of destruction and flames rising from the earth and brought forth an image of a red sky with the aid of a red moon right from the above. It's already been two weeks ever since experiencing the same dream over and over again. He might need to get a psychologist to examine his mind since it doesn't often happen to most people.

Yawning silently from his seat at the corner of the room, the pinkette outstretched his arms in front of him to give him a bit of a stretch from his growing sleepiness. Despite having to sleep at an early time last night, he still haven't gotten enough to shove the feeling out from his system.

However, as he was about recomposing himself, a mildly loud tap was soon heard from in front of the table as both eyes of the other classmates darted over to him while he simply looked towards the front with the teacher slamming her book right on her desk which was the cause of the unwanted noise.

"Natsu Dragneel, I see that you're probably awake now... Care to explain your reasons of falling asleep?" There was a hint of displeased tone on her voice as the class went quiet all of a sudden and focus on him solely, mush to his irritation of being the center of attention.

"No, none at all... Just bored." He bluntly replied while making at least some of the other classmates to chuckle at his response but it only fueled the teaher's discontentment towards him.

"Oh, I see... While I'm surprised that you're being honest this time, I still have you to report for detention after class so be warned, mister." After informing of the punishment, the teacher returned to teaching, subsiding the intense stare of the other students, causing the pinkette to breathe a sign of relief before gazing towards the window right beside him in thought.

It was a normal day occurrence for him to be sent to detention like this. It's a miracle that he managed to get all through the middle-school without ever being repeated at the same time. His grades were average but his relationship towards teachers and other students are below at that. It's not like he had any ill will against them, it's just that he doesn't find himself to be among them.

A confusing mindset really.

Despite that, he still has some connections with other students who were more open to him rather being judgmental just because of his bizarre hair color. That's right, everyone seemed to think him as a problem child because of his pink hair. It's not like you'd see a person having pink hair that often and being a male is a such a rare sight to see. There are even others who would think that it was purposely dyed to increase his popularity. Like he cared all of it though.

Taking a second sigh underneath his breath, Natsu lowered his head to rest upon his arms while looking wearily at the teacher, teaching stuffs and other baseless craps for the betterment of his future.

'Screw studies!' is what he said inside his mind. Why would something as boring as this be part of the institution? Although, he might need to not proceed that question any further if doesn't want to become paranoid.

And with that, he simply closed his eyes once more to sleep. He would hope that the same dream wouldn't have to haunt him this time.

..

..

..

A loud sound of a ringing bell soon sprung him back to life as his eyes twitched open before readjusting them towards his surroundings before catching a glimpse of some of his students, leaving the room while others staying to converse with their friends. It's probably lunch time so he might also need to move out as well to save time.

"Another detention again huh, Natsu..." A male voice resounded from his side as Natsu tilted his head slowly to the right and met up with the person before instantly recognizing him.

"Looks like it." He spoke nonchalantly before taking a wide loud yawn from his seat to completely knock his sleepiness away before returning his attention towards the person.

"You know, mom and dad are not gonna like it if that keeps going though it has nothing to do with me but still-" He was cut in mid-sentence as Natsu began to speak for himself.

"Don't worry, it's the just the start of the second spring semester and this is just the first so I can handle it."

"Come on, Natsu... It's not like it's going to keep them from getting worried."

"Well, I would be more worried about your perverted nature, Issei." The boy named, Issei snorted irritably as he suddenly retorted in defense of his personality.

"To become perverted is a way of becoming real men, Natsu... It's more fun than you being... uhh... uninterested to girls and oppais!" His declaration soon caught attention of the other girls who could only look at him in scorn and disgust.

"See? Even the girls don't agree to that... Myself included.." Natsu joked.

"I somehow don't get why you wouldn't have anything to interest you in any way involving oppai except for fighting..." Issei pondered.

"Who knows... Fighting is also part in human nature..." Natsu replied.

A sigh from Issei soon followed as he simply looked at his pseudo-brother with worry. It's already been a long time since Natsu became part of the Hyoudou family. Apparently during the time of Issei childhood, his parents eventually caught sight of a severely injured yet alive kid just outside their residence. The injuries were mostly from burns and scars that made all of them to worry as they sent him immediately to the nearest hospital for treatment.

No one sure knows of what caused him to inflict such a deadly wound. They couldn't even figure out his parents since he was left alone except for a engraving sign that was seen on the pavement beside him from where he was seen, spelling out "Natsu Dragneel"

It was the only thing that gave information of the kid. Even after being recovered from the burns, it came to a surprise as well as the boy named, Natsu wasn't able to remember anything that could've linked to his past. As a result, the Hyoudou couple could not help but adopt the poor kid out of sympathy about his painful experience. Being abandoned without anyone or anything to remind him except of his name, Natsu pretty did have a rather bad childhood at that time, seeing that he did not harbor any emotion at the start of his recovery.

It only came at a time when Issei was finally able to establish a strong bond between them despite him being an adopted brother of the family though he didn't expect him to turn out to be a energetic person who loves fighting without the same feeling towards the opposite sex. Even so, the two brothers maintain a stable relationship between each other and had been the best of friends ever since.

While briefly reminiscing their pasts, Issei could only smile in relief towards the pinkette before another pair of boys came into view, particularly looking for the brown-haired boy specifically.

"Yo! Issei! I see you have been talking again to your brother huh? Quite a straightforward answer right there, Natsu-kun!" The boy with glasses smiled with a thumbs-up towards him, making it seemed like a compliment or an insult for that matter.

"You're welcome, Motohama." Natsu warmly welcomed the statement.

"Well, since you have bad reputation like us, why not join us and strive for our goal to create a harem in this recently co-ed school?!" The other boy suggested in which Natsu passed a disapproving wave on his hand before resting himself on the desk once more.

"No thanks... I'd rather not have myself be beaten up by most of the girls here in this school than risking for some stupid oppai.."

"IT'S NOT STUPID!" Both three shouted in irritation towards him, deafening his hears in close proximity as he instantly stood up and back away from the three.

"What the hell? You three could've broken my ear, dammit!"

"You started it... You said oppais are stupid..."

"I bet you never even experienced one."

..

..

"I never did once and would never be in the million years." Natsu stated which only shocked the three who on the other hand, turned stone-faced due to the shocking answer to them.

"He really did say it... He's not a man."

"Oi! Shut up..." Natsu retorted and not before long he sighed once again before turning his attention towards the door and started walking out, leaving the other three behind. "I'll be getting some food in the cafeteria... I'll come back later."

But just as he was about to leave, his eyes soon caught sight of a red hair flowing right past him, prompting him to glance back and eventually saw a young woman walking right past the hallway with red hair as the other females stopped for a moment and watched her walked right towards the corner and turn once more. But just as she was about to disappear from the corner, Natsu was able to notice a slight glimpse of her gaze towards him that soon made him uncomfortable all of a sudden.

A moment of trance soon followed until the three boys from earlier also arrived by the door though missing the wonderful spectacle of the woman walking right past the hallway.

"Ah damn, we missed her." Matsuda gritted.

"Who was that girl?" Both Natsu and Issei asked in confusion, not entirely aware that such a person would be here in the campus.

"Rias Gremory... 99-58-90. A senior and the president of the Occult Research Club... She's rumored to come from Scandinavia." Motohama explained.

"I didn't ask for the sizes though." Natsu deadpanned.

"I'm surprised that you two never even knew her. Well normally, she stays around the old building just at the other side of the campus and she rarely comes out." Matsuda stated.

"What's with her to you anyways?" All three soon turned towards the pinkette in curiosity.

"It's nothing... I just felt something wrong or ominous when she's around."

"I can't say that I'm surprised either... Her aura is definitely strong and... ... arousing." Motohama drooled which only made the other boys to look at him in disgust.

"Anyway, thanks for the unwanted information, I'll just have to get my own food..."

"Ah, Natsu... Would you also buy me some food? Sorry but I have a schedule running up this lunch with Matsuda and Motohama so..." Issei pleaded.

"Alright... I don't mind... Just don't get killed, Issei... There are more things valuable than oppais." Natsu advised though he guessed that it won't engrave right inside his brother's mind like that easily, seeing his strong perverted nature.

Leaving that aside, Natsu simply glanced around and turned to the other direction before disappearing into a corner before going downstairs and lined up with the other students who were also waiting in line for the order of food. It didn't take a few minutes for his turn as he took out a simple meal from the cafeteria along with some drinks for himself before settling himself towards the edge of the table in the far corner and started eating.

This is the only time he would gladly enjoy his time during school. Eating without any interruptions is almost heaven to him. He didn't care getting any peers at the moment. He'd rather wanted to be left alone and deal with his own problems without any care in his surroundings, including people. It's one of the reason of why he was one of the neglected students in the campus with a bad reputation yet he didn't care.

He was content with the life he had right now. A normal family and a slightly... perverted brother is enough... Slightly was such an understatement though.

..

..

After eating, Natsu ordered a handful of snacks for Issei and started to return back towards the room but stopped afterwards, seeing the bell range right before he could even enter. Thinking for a moment, Natsu pondered about going in or not. After experiencing of the lazy staring at the teacher on class, he might have to choose not to and skip the class and rest somewhere else.

Taking a step away from the classroom doors, Natsu walked upstairs and eventually turned to settle down on the rooftop to clear his mind there. With the food still on his hands, Natsu placed it right at the ledge and decided to also lie himself there, facing the bright sky.

A warm breeze of wind swept past through him, giving his body a soft and comfortable feeling to ease his troubles. In an instant, a wave of drowsiness came back like a flash as his eyes immediately closed and rested once more throughout the day.

Unknown to him, a white-haired figure is seen standing right below the school grounds, gazing above the rooftop and stared stoically at the sleeping figure before turning her attention back to the old building in secret.

..

A few hours passed and the sound of the last bell rang as the school was finally over. Natsu woke up just right after the last ring and started going downstairs and went to his room. After reaching the room, he found it empty, leaving only his bag slung on the side of his chair. Quickly grabbing it, Natsu made his way right away and intended to forget the detention as he went straightly towards the gate in which he saw a familiar figure waiting for him.

"Yo! Issei!" He waved before finally catching up to him and it was not before long he was smacked to the head by the brown-haired boy with an annoyed look.

"Where the hell have you been?! I was so hungry throughout the class and have been holding it up ever since!"

"Sorry... I skipped but I bought your food." Natsu apologized before giving him the food he order earlier, much to his delight.

"Thought so... It's not so uncommon for a potential delinquent like you."

"I'm not delinquent..." Natsu reasoned.

"You're turning into one if you didn't stop that bad habit of yours." Issei reminded.

"Class is boring... I'm surprised that you and the others were able to cope up with it."

"You're making it seem like you're not human, Natsu." Issei sighed.

"Is that so? Everyone has their ups and downs but this one is not for me, you know..."

"I know... Anyways, we better head back... Mom and Dad are probably worried."

"Seems like it..." And with that, the two simply walked their way towards the street as the sun sets towards the western horizons before darkness slowly crept its way on the other side of the globe, signifying the end of the day.

It didn't take them long enough to reach to their home as both of them entered and left their shoes just by the entrance and went to the kitchen to greet their parents who were patiently waiting for them to come back.

"We're home!"

"Ah, welcome back, you two... How's school?" Their mother asked.

"We're good." Natsu lied though Issei simply went along with him for the sake of not worrying them.

"I'm glad... but we're having dinner so be sure to come downstairs, okay?" The two brothers nodded in response before turning over towards the staircase and went to their separate rooms as Natsu carelessly dropped his bag and crashed on the bed, seemingly tired as he glanced sideways, thinking about the recurring dream earlier in his class.

Although it might seem unusual to remember as mysterious as that, he felt that it had to do something about his past. Apparently, he doesn't have anything to remind him of that past except for his name. Despite being adopted to the Hyoudou family, they permitted him to retain his original name instead of replacing it in honor of his past.

It's already been years since that happened and he moved on along with the life of being together with his newfound family. Delving right into the past with nothing to prove or make him remember is simply useless to do so.

A knock soon came out from his door as Issei's voice soon resounded over to the walls.

"Natsu... Dinner's ready... Mom asked me to fetch you downstairs."

"I'm quite full... Eat without me." There was no response for a moment until he heard him finally gave up and went downstairs to eat along with their parents.

The darkened room was accompanied with the faint illuminating light of the moon just beside his window as a small gust went inside, causing the curtains to move and revealed much of the outside world to him as he saw the clear sky with the moon being the center of the background, prompting him to gaze at it momentarily before heavy wave of drowsiness came about and overwhelmed his body and eventually succumbed to the slumber.

He had a feeling that he might experience the same dream once more.

* * *

"Are you sure about this?" A female voice was soon heard from behind the darkened room, masking her presence towards the other female who was standing still at the open window, facing the bright moon illuminating the night sky as her crimson hair reflected back to its light.

"I cannot be right all the time, Akeno... That's why I'm having you and Koneko to give surveillance to those two."

"And you want me to observe this person... I don't sense something inside of him so why would you want to give importance to him?" Akeno asked curiously from the shadows.

"Even without a Sacred Gear, you cannot expect me to just ignore all the other non-Sacred Gear users..." The female replied.

"I never said that, Buchou. But what I'm asking about is your decision for that boy... You were still confirming about the other one but this one is completely..." Akeno stopped for a moment to put a proper word for it.

"That boy is not special, alright. But I sense something rather different from what I've seen from the others so far."

"And you want to find out why?" Akeno clarified.

"Exactly... Although it might come as a stretch for our resources, it's worth a look... Plus, with him being related to the other boy, there's a chance that they might both possess the same results." The red-haired female smiled as she turned back from her gaze and into the shadows where Akeno was standing.

"Alright... I guess I should trust your intuition on this, Buchou..." Akeno reaffirmed.

"We should also make our move soon... The other factions are starting to move as well, especially the Fallen Angels."

"What are we going to do with them, Buchou?"

"For now, we should ignore them and be on alert, at the very least. They don't seem to make a move yet so we won't do so either. In the meantime, we should focus in the two."

"Of course..."

And with that, Akeno disappeared from the shadows, leaving the red-haired beauty to stare into the sky once more as the small wind blew past right in front of her, causing her hair to flow gracefully as time went further through the night.

..

..

"Things are really turning for better or worse. I should make a move soon."

* * *

 **A/N: Here's the prologue for you guys. Sorry for the long wait. As you can see, I tweaked Natsu affiliation by being an adopted brother from the Hyoudou residence in order to fit in with the crossover. Originally, I was intending to replace Issei with Natsu but after thinking about it for quite some time, I decided to keep them both together.**

 **Of course, there's the question of harem... There's no denial of a harem here so I'll just post a poll about the separate harems for the two if you're fine with that. It's up to you readers if you want Natsu to hog all the girls but you're leaving Issei out of character but it's your choice. My decision of the girl chosen for Natsu and Issei are still unknown so a poll and opinions from readers would also help.**

 **On the side note, this will be also receiving rarely updates just like the other two recently posted stories. I had to post this in order to prevent from total forgetfulness of the plot.**

 **That's all for now.. Feel free to PM me for questions about the story and I'll try to reply as soon as I can.**

 **\- wiErD SpeCtrumz blacking out... ... ...**


	2. Awakening

**A/N: Sup everyone. wiErD here. Here's the first chapter of the crossover.**

 **Hope ya like it...! :)**

 **This is the only long chapter that I'll be posting in the story. The others would be consisting of 6k words and below so be reminded.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail and HS DxD... All goes to their respective authors. Support the official releases.**

* * *

 **\- Awakening -**

It was already early in the morning and Natsu had no time to prepare himself as his alarm clock rang loudly beside the night stand, thus cutting his long slumber as he slowly rose above the sheets and sat up straight like a reanimated zombie. His hair was literally messed up though in fact, that he didn't even need the liberty of fixing it since his salmon hair is mostly styled in a protruding manner as it spiked in both directions.

The faint light of the sun penetrated the open windows beside him as he shielded his eyes upon turning over to the outside world. The streets across his home is still empty and only a few bystanders wandered from their houses to greet the morning sun.

To him, it's just another normal day.

Slowly yawning himself awake, Natsu soon stood up from his bed and opened the door before silently walking his way downstairs. His pseudo parents are still in their rooms too, seeing that they haven't made breakfast yet. Normally, they're the ones who would always wake up first in the morning before him and Issei. This is probably the first time he's woken up before them.

He made his way through the refrigerator and took some ingredients for his hot coffee. It didn't take him a few more minutes to finish brewing it and eventually settled on the living room on the sofa and started drinking it.

His body relaxed as he slowly sipped through his cup and simply gazed over to the silent living room before him. Come to think of it, this is his first time ever gazing around the house in wonder. He always viewed his house to be a normal home for him to stay and a place of enjoyment with his family. Pictures of him together with Issei as kids are shown in some of the walls.

Although he knew that he was just adopted, he suddenly felt touched of how his family treated him like a real one even without knowing his real parents. His past are seemingly nothing but a memory to him. All but replaced by the kindness and unforgettable memories he shared with them.

A small smile made its way through his lips as he finally finished his drink and simply placed it right at the table before turning his attention towards the door.

As he made it outside, the sound of birds chirping in their nest were heard from the distance as the sun slowly rose upon the east, showing off its radiant light from the horizon. Placing his hand above his forehead, Natsu gazed on the bright orb in content.

"I guess, I should take a jog then." He spoke to himself and not before long he began his jog near the sidewalks as he made it past the neighborhood and eventually reached through a playground park and began to exercise himself to keep his body in good shape.

Of course, even as a natural born fighter himself, Natsu had to maintain his conditions if he wanted to survive intense fights and take heavy blows every now and then. He wasn't quite sure of how he was able to do it but for some reason, he was probably born to learn all these kinds of things easily, seeing that he was able to master hand-to-hand tactics in a short time.

Maybe it must be something related to his past... He didn't know for sure.

After a couple of minutes jogging around the park, Natsu took a small break as he sat on one of the stone benches beside the playground and simply took out his jug of water and drank it to replenish his energy.

He wiped off a bead of sweat from his forehead before settling down for a moment and stared into open space. He wanted to find out about the dream he had been experiencing lately. Images of a certain message ran through his mind as he tried to recollect them inside his head.

It was then, he remembered an image of a sky dyed in crimson red. And from below, he saw ashes and flames erupting from the volcanoes as it spew out lava and created large patches of hot molten rivers, perceiving the world to be an extreme inhospitable place. But wait, there was something that even intrigued him. In the midst of the fiery earth was an enormous creature walking on all fours as it slowly moves across the red landscape, fearing nothing of the harsh environment it was giving.

Although the image was blurry, he could somehow remember a glimpse of it having a pair of dark bat-like wings located on its back. Judging from its rough appearance, it was different from all the animals he could list out from the wilds.

No... It was something more bigger and intimidating. Something more ancient and mythical... And fearsome.

But as his mind begins to delve deeper to his memories, a searing pain was instantly felt throughout his head, prompting the pinkette to stop thinking and held his head altogether as a high-pitched sound followed after the pain. He stood back instinctively and landed right on his back as the pain suddenly stopped and eventually led him to slowly recompose himself in the process.

 _'Wha... What the hell was that just now?! Why did I feel something like that...?'_ His mind rattled through questions as he gazed fearfully on his hand which was quivering as a result of the immense pain he just felt just awhile ago.

Something's feels wrong on what was happening right now. His mind instantly kicks up a searing pain whenever he tried to remember his past and an image of an unknown creature that he unknowingly pictured inside his mind. There's probably enough bizarre things for him to handle right now. His face was already sweating due to the pain and he was becoming unstable if he tried to stay that way.

Whatever that dream was, he knew that it was something out in the ordinary and he would probably have to brace himself for a huge event soon.

Pushing that aside, he managed to stand up on two feet and finally grabbed his water and raced back to the house to get his breakfast.

..

..

..

After going back to the house, he managed to see both of his parents awake as they started cooking their breakfast in the kitchen. Closing the door behind him, Natsu slowly made his way towards the table with his mother greeting him in response to his arrival.

"Good morning..." She spoke.

"Morning... Sorry for leaving the cup by the table... Had to go outside for some fresh air."

"I don't mind about it... Actually, I'm surprised that you came home early than your usual routines." She pondered curiously.

"Is that so? Maybe I was just conscious of the time. Plus, there's school by the way." Natsu replied.

"I see... Oh, that reminds me, could you go upstairs and wake your brother up... I think his alarm clock might've broken down. Also, you should also wash yourself while at it. You don't want to be both late now, do you?"

"No problem..." And with that, he stood up from his seat and went upstairs to pick up Issei from his room.

Taking a few knocks into his door, Natsu began to raise his voice to wake the sleeping the brown-haired boy inside.

"Oi! Wake up already, Issei. We have school!" At first there was no response until he was able to hear faint noises from the inside, probably from his tired voice.

"...In a moment..."

It took a few minutes for him to get finally prepared as Natsu returned from his room and began to take a shower as well in order to get himself ready. A couple of minutes has passed and the pinkette was finally finished changing into his Kuoh Academy uniform and simply waited right at the hall beside his brother's room. Soon afterwards, the door opened and revealed a refreshed Issei who still wore a tired expression despite having to wash himself to get out of his drowsiness.

"I see you had a wonderful dream, huh?" Natsu clarified.

"Don't remind me... I enjoyed every moment of it..."

"Come on, mom is waiting downstairs... We should head to school soon."

"Right."

And with that, the two brothers settled downstairs and sat unto their respective seats with their father seating right between them with a newspaper covering his face and their mother preparing their breakfast right in front of them before they started eating. All four of them enjoyed eating together as the two simply smiled alongside with their parents in the table and it's one of the reasons why Natsu felt at peace in this house. That's all he wanted at least in his current life.

A few hours has passed and the two had started their way towards the Academy in order to attend their school. But as they're about to depart, their mother soon called out to Natsu near the entrance as she held unto something that she forgot to hand over to him.

"Natsu... Don't forget this." His eyes soon widen in realization as he saw a white scaly scarf on her hands in which he held unto it as soon as it was given to him.

"...I already finished fixing it... But be sure to be more careful next time, alright? It's your precious scarf so be more responsible."

"I will... Thanks." Earning a smile from her, the two simply began their journey towards Kuoh without any delay.

Both of them simply walked beside each other with the pinkette having to wrap his scarf around his neck in joy as he was finally able to wear it. It was also the only thing that he had relating to his past and he always wore it almost on any occasion. But despite the scarf itself, he simply began to space out for some reason and it didn't take long for his brown-haired brother to notice it but decided not to ask for it.

It is better for him to leave him alone for awhile to deal with his problems.

* * *

 ** _Kuoh Academy... ..._**

It was like any other day at school as Natsu lazily sat in his seat while staring ominously at the black board where the teacher was actually writing or explaining their lessons. It only took a few minutes until he can't finally stand the sight and decided to sleep off the entire subject, hoping that the teacher wouldn't notice him while at it.

An hour has passed and he finally woke up once more before looking at the time and realized that it was already lunch break. Relief seemed to overwhelm him as he happily stood up from his seat and decided to go to the cafeteria to eat there. But just as he was about to get out, Issei, Matsuda and Motohama eventually returned back to the classroom with bruises on their faces, probably from the beating after their risky peeking at the girl's changing room.

"Ah, welcome back... How's the peeking?" Natsu asked the three.

"It was the best..." Matsuda and Motohama made their thumbs-up towards him and not before long their heads were smacked together as Issei glowered angrily towards them.

"These bastards left me alone! Now I'm the one they're blaming for peeking inside." He sneered.

"Well, sacrifices had to be made, Issei... For the sake of oppai that is." Motohama reasoned.

"I've never heard any of that!" With the three bickering like they usually do, Natsu could only sigh in thought as he watched them exchanged their words with amusement.

"Well, at least I get to see something beautiful right after that..." Issei soon changed the topic.

"Ah, you mean... Rias Gremory. The one we saw at the old building. Too bad we get to see only a glimpse of her back then. It's a shame really." Matsuda spoke.

"Rias Gremory?" Natsu's brow quirked in curiosity.

"Don't tell me you forgot about her yesterday? You know, the one with red hair..." Motohama reminded.

While talking with the three, the same pain he experienced back at the park came back to him as he instantly held his head and staggered right back on the room, causing the three to slightly panic, seeing him in a seemingly painful situation.

"O-Oi... You alright, Natsu?" Issei asked in worry.

"Man, you're really not into it today... What's wrong?" Motohama soon followed.

Natsu simply ignored their worries and decided to keep himself focused on his surroundings as he tried to regain his composure and staggered outside with painful expression.

"I'm... ... taking a rest for now... I don't feel good today." He spoke before making his way towards the clinic.

"Okay... I think it's a good idea. Don't overdo yourself, Natsu." Issei advised.

"Yeah... Sorry."

With his head filled with pain, he had no choice but to rest for the whole day. Luckily, he was somehow permitted to rest at the clinic until he can recover soon. As much as he wanted to find out why he was experiencing like this, he had to focus on resting for awhile. It was never like this before. He never even experienced a constant flow of headache in the last few days.

This is starting to get really hard for him to concentrate in his life.

Landing himself in one of the beds, Natsu simply closed his eyes with a jaded expression as sleepiness took over his body in an instant and decided to skip the whole day resting here.

However, just as he was about to close his eyes completely, a faint noise from the door was heard from his ears as he jolted awake and quickly turned his attention to the door, hoping to scare the person coming inside.

"Who's there?!" He threatened though he soon lowered his guard as the person going inside seemed to be a girl, seemingly a year higher than him just from observing her features. She was a tall and lean person with black hair reaching down from her back though it was tied into a ponytail by some ribbon strapped in the middle. She also has quite the curvaceous body figure as she made her way inside wearing the same Kuoh Academy uniform like the girls.

If Issei would be here, he would've been drooling all over the place.

"Ara, ara... Did I interrupt you or something?" The girl soon spoke in her place in which somehow snapped the pinkette out form his trance and focused his attention on the mysterious girl before him.

"U-Uh, no... Not at all... I'm just surprised to see someone here other than me." Natsu replied back.

"Is that so? Why are you here?"

"Headache... Had to take a rest for the whole day... Nurse permitted me to sleep. What about you?"

"Pardon?" As if she was lost at their conversation for a moment there.

"I mean, what are you here for?"

"Oh, nothing too serious... Just getting some supplies for my president. Though it seems like the nurse is out so I have to wait for her until then." She explained.

"President?"

"Rias Gremory... President of the Occult Research Club." Hearing the same name from earlier, Natsu immediately widened his eyes in surprise.

"Rias... ... Gremory, huh..." He muttered in deep thought until the girl continued.

"I'm afraid we haven't introduced ourselves by the way..."

"O-Oh... Natsu Dragneel... Class 2B."

"Akeno Himejima... A senior... That's a pretty unusual name." The girl named, Akeno greeted.

"It's a name that I got when I was found by the Hyoudou family a couple of years ago. Kind of an honor name just to remember me by." It was then Akeno quirked her brows into attention as she felt intrigued by that fact.

"Hoh, so you are not related to Hyoudou Issei?"

"Well, technically we are brothers but they're not my genuine relatives or family. I just got taken in by them..." He explained which only made Akeno to ponder for a moment as she simply sat right beside the pinkette who didn't mind the close contact.

"I see... then you're adopted?"

"Yeah... ... ... Wait a moment, how did you know my brother?" He asked suspiciously.

"Isn't it not okay for seniors to remember all the names of our kouhais (juniors)?" She questioned.

"N-No... Not really. But you never knew me earlier..." He deadpanned.

"Well, I do now." She proceeded with a cute smile which slightly caused the pinkette to stutter in response as he glanced away from her gaze which slightly made her confused of his personality. At the same time, the nurse eventually came back to the clinic, prompting the two to end their conversation as Akeno stood up from her seat, causing Natsu to return his gaze towards her as she looked at him with a smile.

"It was nice meeting you, Natsu Dragneel."

"Y-Yeah me too..." He sheepishly replied back while scratching the back of his head. However, what happened after that simply surprised him as Akeno slowly leaned down just right across his face and kissed his cheek without warning, causing the pinkette to blush and at the same time speechless as the black-haired girl finally returned to her straight posture and slowly turned back on the door before casting one last glance at him with a smile.

"Let's meet again some time, Natsu-kun." And with that, she disappeared along with the supplies she needed to get from the clinic, leaving the shocked pinkette behind after that unexpected kiss.

"Wha... What just happened?!" He suddenly bursts out in complete shock, wanting to learn behind that action.

He didn't do anything but why he was kissed at the first meeting. That ain't right, right? I mean, it's not common for two persons of the opposite sex to suddenly kiss each other's cheek just at the first meeting. Maybe it's a new form of greeting... Yeah, that's right. There's no other way other than that!

However, his actions made it feel like it's not entirely true and that Akeno deliberately kissed him herself is undeniable either.

Something tells him that there's gonna be some shit storm going on around here.

Well at least the pain is gone. For some reason, he didn't feel anything wrong inside his head anymore. Maybe Akeno somehow did that to help him. He may never know.

With nothing else to think of, the pinkette simply resumed his sleep on one of the beds, hoping to take away the embarrassing expression he was currently having.

..

..

..

It was already in the afternoon and the students have started to return to homes as the sun goes down. Natsu and Issei also begun their trip back to their home as the former was still baffled about what happened at the clinic earlier. He could not find any reasons behind her actions that time. It couldn't be that she's somehow related to his past now, did she?

It's just a possibility though. Other than that, there's nothing for him to prove something about it.

"Something wrong, Natsu? You've been spacing out for quite some time now." It was then Issei tried to ask.

"A-Ah, it's nothing to worry about... I just got a lot of things to think about." Natsu reassured.

"It's quite unusual for you to be like that, you know... I thought you hate studying..."

"Shut up... " He sneered.

While conversing, they soon made a momentary stop near a bridge just at the side of the road. They simply leaned over to the edge while gazing over to the other road below them, watching as cars went by while being shone by the twilight. It was then, Issei began a depressed sigh underneath his breath as Natsu looked at him in confusion.

"What's with the sigh?"

"Ah, I just got the feeling that I'm never gonna get a girlfriend at this rate. Even though we transferred together in a recently reformed all girls school, we still haven't gotten ourselves a girlfriend." He reasoned.

"Since when did I join you in your conquest for finding a girlfriend?" Natsu deadpanned.

"Come on, we're all the same, right? We're out-straight boring and lame."

"Well, your perverted side is quite a turn-off so it's expected."

"Shut it! I don't see you doing any better than me." Issei protested.

"I don't even plan on having one..." His reply came as a halfhearted answer as his mind reverted back to a certain black-haired beauty he unknowingly met in the clinic, not to mention the kiss he just got from her as well. Unfortunately, Issei was able to notice behind that expression as he looked at him with slight irritation, seeing that something good must've happened to him.

"You bastard! You're lying, aren't you?!"

"What are you talking about?!"

"You met a girl, don't you? I can tell from your expression! Who is it?!"

"Shut up! Even if I do have one, why would I want to tell you?" Natsu rebutted and it was not long before the two had gone into a comedic bickering as they both strangled themselves against each other by their necks in irritation.

However, their fight suddenly came into an abrupt end as a rather shy female voice resounded from their ears, stopping them from connecting their fists right unto their faces before slowly glancing over to the source of the voice. It was a girl, seemingly on the same age as them, seeing her stature just as the same as them though her school uniform seems to be different from them which immediately assume that she's not from Kuoh Academy. She has a long silky black hair that reaches down to her back similar that of Akeno but shorter and not tied into a ponytail, seeing it cascading down to her shoulders and to her lower back as well.

"U-Um... Are you Hyoudou Issei from Kuoh Academy by any chance?" As she began to speak, both boys landed on their backs and not before long, Issei stood up into attention, pointing his finger unto himself to clarify her.

"Are you referring to me?" He spoke though he couldn't help the fact that he was beginning to think something perverted towards the girl after seeing its beautiful face.

"A-Are you going out with someone?" It was then she changed the topic.

"W-Well, I'm not into relationship yet though... Why do you ask?"

"I'm glad t hear that!" She paused after her joy and simply began to introduce herself.

"...I-I'm Amano Yuuma... U-Umm... W-Would you go out with me?!"

"Eh? Y-You mean- like a date?!" Of course, the girl showed signs of embarrassment as her face was blushing madly after hearing that kind of word from him.

But somehow, she was able to nod lightly from it which shocked Issei to the core before recomposing himself.

"B-But why me? I mean, I haven't seen you around here before..." he asked curiously.

"W-Well, I-I've been watching come past here for quite some time so... umm... W-Would you go out with me?" She flustered right off the bat and Natsu could drawl at this conversation the whole day.

Well, of course it would be shocking for the brown-haired boy since he was being asked out by a girl though Natsu, on the other hand, seemed to suspect something wrong from the girl herself. They never even met this girl and Issei also doesn't know about her so why would someone like her would just ask out in the blue about going out with a person that she even barely knows.

For sure, he was starting to feel uneasy all of a sudden after looking towards the girl intently. Somehow, he could feel something strong and intimidating behind that innocent smile of hers but he simply stayed quiet along the conversation.

"I-I guess, I don't mind though... Very well, I accept...!" Issei agreed which only delighted the girl in response.

"I'm glad! Then what time tomorrow?"

"E-Eh? You're okay for tomorrow? We still have school, you know?"

"Then how about after school? Are you free by that time?!" She asked.

"Well, I have nothing to do, I suppose. I guess, we should try tomorrow..." Issei sheepishly replied.

"Then tomorrow is okay... I'll be meeting you in your school if that's alright. And... ... is it alright for me to know your number?" She shyly replied with her phone in hand.

"N-No... it's okay... I don't mind."

The two exchanged numbers for a moment and it didn't take long as they finally finished their contacts to each other.

"Then it's settled... I'll see you tomorrow, Issei-kun!" And with that, she ran off into distance, leaving a lovestruck brown-haired boy who could only wave towards the fleeting figure and then turned towards the pinkette with a happy expression.

"IT'S A DATE! IT'S A DATE! DATE! DATE! DATE! Natsu, tell me this isn't happening..."

"It isn't..." He bluntly replied though he didn't expect a sharp smack to the head as Issei glared at him in irritation. "What was that for?!"

"I never wanted you to answer it literally!"

"Then what do you want me to say?! Anyway, it's already getting dark. We should go home too!" Although he tried reminding him, he was already preoccupied with the whole date thing as he simply ran ahead before him in which he simply followed as they disappeared form the corner however, as they were gone, a female student wearing the Kuoh Academy school uniform appeared from the bridge with a ice stick on her hand as she silently watched at the empty area in deep thought before instantly disappearing once again via a mysterious magical circle without anyone witnessing the entire scene.

* * *

 ** _Inside the old building... Near the school campus._**

"So you were right the whole time, Buchou..." The same girl from earlier spoke from her seat as she licked unto her ice stick before three figures appeared in the shadows as she made her appearance in the room.

The three consisted of two females and a male. The first female has red crimson hair while the other has black hair and the male seemed to have a blonde hair color as they made their way towards the living room with the red-haired person sitting on the desk accompanied by the other female who stood right beside her like a loyal subject.

"A spot-on, you say..." The black haired female added.

"I was right to have my sights on him." The red-haired female pondered.

"What are you going to do, Rias?" The girl named, Rias stopped to think for a moment before opening her eyes towards the other three in anticipation.

"We should be alert at the very least and try not to make moves yet..."

"Wouldn't that be putting him on a risk?"

"Don't worry, I'll have something to help him when he needs it... Right now, it all depends to him. Speaking of which, how's your observation to the other boy, Akeno?" Rias asked in curiosity.

"He seems to be a harmless person but vigilant at times. Also, he was not part of the Hyoudou family." Hearing that part simply caught Rias' attention as she looked at the black-haired girl with interest.

"What do you mean by that?"

"It seems like he's just an adopted child from the family and they gave him the liberty of keeping his last name but there's something that needs confirming though.

"And what is that?"

"He claims to have known nothing of his past."

"Like an amnesia or something?" Rias guessed.

"I can't say for sure." Akeno frowned.

"That boy was with him when he was approached by her..." It was then the white-haired girl decided to speak, earning the two females to widen their eyes in surprise.

"He's with him?" Akeno clarified but kept her composure until Rias looked at her in confusion.

"Is something wrong, Akeno?"

"N-Nothing... I just thought that he might get involved after that." She reasoned.

"Don't worry... I'll have to give that task to Kiba now... You can rest easy, Akeno... Like I said, we should try approaching them one by one and Hyoudou Issei must be our top priority right now." Rias suggested which only got them to nod in response until they dismissed their meeting and went home, leaving only Rias and Akeno in the room.

"I'll be taking out my familiar to observe them just in case... You should rest for the night, Akeno." Rias stood up from her seat and began undressing, leaving only to her bra and panties before gesturing her hand into open space and summon her familiar who simply flew out in the window before going to the bathroom.

"Thank you, Buchou..." Akeno smiled and not before long she stared right into the open window as the night sky shone down on her. After a moment, her expression turned into slight worry over to the pinkette she just recently met earlier.

She could only hope for his safety tomorrow.

...

...

...

Meanwhile, back at the Hyoudou Residence, Natsu and Issei were lazing around the latter's room since the former wanted to have a copy of his assignments for tomorrow, much to Issei depression. No wonder why he would narrowly pass middle-school, he was constantly coming over to his room just to copy his work without any shed of consciousness to his actions.

Leaving that aside, he was still nervous about the date for tomorrow. He just can't calm down as he kept rolling from his bed like a kid.

"Will you stop that already? You look like you're reversely maturing." Natsu commented at his behavior.

"I just can't help it! I'm having a date! A DATE! I tell you!"

"Yeah, yeah... You said it a couple of times."

"I EVEN GOT HER NUMBER!"

"Yeah... congratulations..." Natsu blankly spoke. He could care less. As long as he permitted him to copy his homework, he'll just have to play along with it.

"You sound regretful... What's wrong? Are you frustrated that I'm having a girlfriend while you don't?" He teased.

"Who said I'm frustrated? Anyway, I should advise you to be careful around that girl, Issei." Natsu refuted with a serious tone which simply shot down his joyful behavior before looking at him with worry.

"W-What are you talking about?"

"Look, I'll just make this simple... Just be careful when you're around her. We never even knew the girl and out in the blue, she asked you out? Don't you think that's kinda strange?"

"Save the strange details for later! Date first! I can't wait to see Matsuda and Motohama's expression tomorrow." Natsu could only sigh at his brother's obliviousness at the situation. After finishing his copy, he returned to his room before reminding him of the same warning he said to him before closing the door.

Crashing down unto his bed, Natsu simply slept in peace. Tomorrow is will be as tiring as this one too and he had to get enough sleep to endure it.

* * *

 ** _The next day... ..._**

Natsu and Issei felt the need to slap their faces as they saw Yuuma standing right in front of their house early in the morning. Both jaws dropped to the ground as they tried to regain their composure in front of her.

"Good morning, you two… Quite a lovely day we're having." She smiled warmly towards them which caused Issei to blush.

"Y-Yeah… It is. How are you feeling, Yuuma-chan?" The brown-haired boy spoke sheepishly.

"I'm fine… Now then, shall we go together?"

"E-Eh? You mean, walk together to school?" Issei asked.

"Aren't you from a different school? Why would you care tagging along with us?" Natsu demanded with a suspicious look.

"Is it not okay to accompany my boyfriend to school?" She asked innocently which only made Issei's face to rise up as she clung onto his arm with her breasts slightly touching it in which in Natsu's case is a horrendous sight to see together with the lewd smile his brother was giving.

"B-Boyfriend?" Issei asked.

"Are you not comfortable with it?" Yuuma turned to him eventually with a worried expression.

"No! I'm fine with it! Let's go!" Issei suggested as the two took off before the pinkette who was still having his suspicions about the girl, especially to her clingy attitude towards Issei.

With the two right infront of him, Natsu simply watched them silently from behind and never left his gaze on the girl whom he still had his suspicions into. It didn't take long for them to eventually meet two of Issei's best friends who only watched at him with a horrified expression after seeing him with a girl.

What a combination.

"Yo! Matsuda, Motohama... Let me introduce to you, Amano Yuuma-chan... My girlfriend." Issei spoke with a cool accent which only made the two shocked more than ever. Natsu felt sorry for them though almost... ... Almost.

"G-G-Girlfriend?!"

"Yup! GI-RL-FRI-END."

"YOU BASTARD! THIS IS SOME KIND OF A CONSPIRACY!" While they tried denying it, Yuuma simply went in front of them before bowing in respect and greeted them.

"Good morning, Matsuda-kun, Motohama-kun. My name is Amano Yuuma. I hope we get along in the future." That statement simply sealed the deal between them with the two having their souls barely out from their bodies as they couldn't take the shock. It was not long as they turned their attention on the pinkette, hoping for the last resort of their defense.

"Natsu-kun! Tell me this isn't true!"

"Yeah! Issei was lying, right?"

"Nope... It's all true... Issei is going out with Yuuma... Deal with it." Natsu adamantly spoke which finally gave them the final blow and fell down to the ground, completely rattled to the core.

"Well then, we'll be off now..." The three simply resumed their journey as Natsu remained silent during the whole trip, listening to their conversation from the back like a third-wheeler.

It didn't take long for them to finally reach the Academy as Yuuma parted with the two of them before entering to the room. Issei's face never changed as the rest of the class went on with him keeping that stupid smile and drool towards the class. It was kinda sick actually, he's really at it with his date. He made a sigh before gazing towards the window once more towards the hallway.

However, his eyes soon noticed someone peering over to their class but it was quick to disappear in sight as the figure turned to the other direction away from the classroom. Although it was an instant, he managed to catch a glimpse of a black hair flowing from behind, seemingly tied in a pony-tail.

Only one person came into his mind after recognizing that hairstyle.

 _'Akeno-senpai? I wonder what's she is looking for?'_

While his mind is occupied with her all day long, Natsu still remained cautious for Issei by the time the class ended as the two waited in the school gates, waiting for Yuuma.

A few seconds later, she finally arrived who was still in her school uniform and Issei could only sport a happy smiled upon seeing her.

"Sorry, I'm late..."

"Don't worry... it's a man job to wait for their girl, right?" He replied with a sense of pride in him, much to the pinkette shock since this is the first time he'd seen him say things like that despite being perverted.

"Awww... You're so considerate, Issei-kun!" Yuuma blushed.

After giving each other a couple of sweet words in exchange, Yuuma soon turned over to the pinkette.

"You're not following us by any chance, aren't you?" She asked curiously.

"And what if I did?" Natsu confronted but Issei answered for her.

"Just tell mom and dad that I'll be going home late... You don't have to worry about me, Natsu."

It's hard to protest against him now that he made up his mind however, he could only hope that he would be safe if anything should end up badly between them. Sighing for the last time, Natsu turned to the other direction and silently walked away without leaving a word or two to them.

..

..

..

The game center seems to be filled with more people despite the day nearing its end. Students and adults rounded through the cashiers and bought their tickets and played in the arcade games located in columns nearby. Yuuma and Issei simply waited in line and played with smiles plastered on their faces. Although it was his first time going out in a date, Issei felt confident on how to work on making a girl happy, unlike Natsu who had little care about girls.

Soon afterwards, they wandered through a park with people, holding unto their food as they sat in a stone bench nearby to settle there. Yuuma simply ate her crepe and happily indulged its taste while Issei watched her intently beside her with a smile on his face.

"It's delicious!" Yuuma cheered in delight.

"I'm glad you like it." Issei smiled in return.

"Anyway, that brother of yours... What is he like?" Yuuma asked.

"Ah, Natsu...? He's quite the idiot but he's a reliable one when you need help the most. Although he does not study very well, he seems to be a good person if you get to know him that long." He elaborated.

"I guess, you two are quite close huh?"

"You could say that but he doesn't give any attention to girls since he would always say that he cared little about relationships and sorts. But he's a good person and helps other people who are in need of his help."

"Is that so?" She muttered underneath her breath and while at it, she silently left a much more discreet message as she whispered afterwards to avoid the brown-haired boy from noticing her malicious intent written on her face. "I almost feel sorry for you..."

"Hmm? You were saying something, Yuuma-chan?"

"Ah, nothing... Say, do you want to explore the park together with me alone?" Instead of a normal cliche reaction from a romantic story, Issei could only think about the opposite as his mind instantly filled with perverted thoughts that he tried to shaking off inside his head.

"O-Of course, I would love to."

"Then let's go, Issei-kun!" And with that, the two simply resumed their date towards an empty park with a fountain right at the center.

The sun had seemingly gone down and the lights had turned on to light up the park itself. Issei and Yuuma slowly walked towards the fountain with the two of them had nothing to say as the atmosphere between instantly became awkward until Issei tried to breaking the silence and speak.

"It's getting dark, huh?"

"Yeah..." Her face turned slightly grim.

"Is something wrong, Yuuma-chan?" He tried to ask but was instantly confronted by the black-haired girl as she rested herself towards his chest while standing. On the other hand, Issei couldn't keep his burning face from embarrassment as he started to think that this kind of situations will probably end them both in those kinds of 'things'.

"I really had fun, Issei-kun..." She muttered.

"R-Really...?

"Yeah... that's why, will you die for me?" What happened soon afterwards was something Issei never expected as he was suddenly pushed back by a gale before widening his eyes in surprise and disbelief as Yuuma simply began to transform right in front of him. Her school uniform simply changed that of a rather skimpy outfit, exposing much of her body, especially her breast which was covered with a micro-bikini outfit. She soon a pair of black wings that sprouted behind her back which gave her a sense of dread from any human gazing at it which not only scared the boy but also aroused him at the same time after looking at her full appearance.

Lewd thoughts aside, his expression turned to shock as her attitude turn rather malevolent apart from her innocent attitude whom she always show to him earlier.

"Wha... What's going on, Yuuma-chan?" He demanded an answer.

"Please just die for me. I'll kill you right here.." She bluntly replied.

"Kill? You mean-"

"That's right, Issei-kun..."

"Then- our date, our moments... " He stuttered.

"Yup... All of it was just a lie... Unfortunately, I have to finish you right here since I can't allow you to escape after seeing too much."

"What do you mean by tha-" He was interrupted yet again as sharp pain went through his body after being inflicting by a blade of light that easily pierced his abdomen and reached through his back, causing him to cough off blood in an instant as the blade disappeared from his body.

"Sorry for that... Your existence is a threat to us so we had to move in for the kill. You should blame God for putting a Sacred Gear inside your body." Yuuma explained.

"Sacred wha-" He wasn't given the time to finish as he easily became limp and fell down on the ground with blood gushing out from his stomach, hastening his death in the process.

"Thanks for the wonderful memories-" Before she could even fly away, she had to dodge an incoming knife thrown towards her face as she floated safely from a distance as she glared over to the bushes before widening her eyes in disbelief after seeing the person emerging from it.

Natsu simply stood in shock as he saw the body of his brother lying in his own pool of blood with a large hole in his abdomen. He never thought that such a wound like this would actually come from that girl. Issei managed to muster enough strength to glance towards the pinkette with a faint smile as he saw him.

"N-Natsu..." He weakly called out. The pinkette simply ran towards him and crouched down before trying to apply some first-aid in his wounds but the level of injury is beyond his imagination. There's just no way for him to seal up that wound for a short time. And by the time, he could even close it, Issei would've lost too much blood.

"I-I'm sorry, Natsu... ... I-I'm such an idiot."

"Don't speak... I'll get you help.. Just stay with me, Issei!" Natsu shouted.

"S-Sorry for not listening to you... ... I-I'm really a stupid brother... I s-should've l-listened to you."

"I know... I know that... Stop talking and focus on living! Come on, you're stronger than this..." Natsu urged further before trying to apply pressure to his wound.

"I-I'm glad that I m-met such a b-brother like you..."

"What are you saying all of a sudden? What happened in finding a girlfriend? I thought that you're not gonna die without having one?"

"I... did have one. I-I chose h-horribly..." With his dying breath, he cannot keep his eyes open for any longer as he felt his time is starting to end. "S-Sorry being such an idiot brother, Natsu..."

With those last words, his body simply died out, leaving only his eyes partially open, shocking Natsu in the process.

"O-Oi! Hey, wake up, Issei! Hey!" Natsu tried to urge him awake but there was no response.

"It's too late to save him... The blade would instantly kill a mortal, you know..." Yuuma blankly spoke as she sat on one of the branches, looking at the pinkette with curiosity.

"Mortal? Just what are you?!"

"Hmph... Can't even tell just by looking at my wings. I guess, you're not half of what Issei-kun tells you to be." She smirked.

"You bastard!" Sprinting towards the black-haired girl, Natsu tried to jump towards her but Yuuma simply flew away before summoning a spear of light in her hands before pointing it to the pinkette.

"This is the end, boy..." As soon as she said that, she thrusted the spear towards him in blinding speeds, much to his shock. But instinctively, Natsu dashed sideways before the spear could even impale him, before gazing up towards the surprised girl from above.

 _'He dodged it?! Even a normal human wouldn't be able to dodge that kind of attack.'_ Yuuma thought out in disbelief as she slowly descended down to the ground and faced the pinkette with curiosity.

"Hmm... For a human like you, I have to say, I'm quite impressed. There's no human as powerless as you to be able to dodge a blade of light, let alone survive from an encounter with a fallen angel." After her statement, Natsu's eyes immediately widened in disbelief as he somehow heard something that related out of the ordinary.

"Fallen angel? What are you talking about?"

"I guess, you already knew too much so I'm just gonna end this..." After leaving those words, Yuuma suddenly disappeared in a silver blur as Natsu was left surprised at the result.

"Wha-"

 ***SHUNK***

The sound of flesh being impaled simply rang through his ears as Natsu slightly coughed off blood before slowly glancing in shock behind his back, seeing Yuuma already pierced him with a spear of light on his left abdomen.

"Sorry, you could've lived longer if you just stayed in your house and stopped snooping around... Well, you're just an expendable mortal so I'll reward you of my real name for surviving this long... ... My name is Raynare. I do hope you remember that in the afterlife."

She took out her spear as Natsu fell down on the ground with blood gushing out, leaving him near his death as his body started to weaken and his image became blurry.

 _'No... it can't end like this... I have to fight. I need power... Someone... please lend me your strength...'_ His mind was becoming blurry and the last bit of his life held on desperately on his will.

All seemed to end on his demise when his mind was suddenly consumed in flames, causing him to plunge into a world of fire as he looked around in confusion as Issei, Yuuma and the world around him was simply burned away with huge flames encasing him inside a hellfire. Surprisingly enough, there was no pain felt despite being surrounded by it.

However, he suddenly stopped as a mysterious voice soon echoed throughout the red world.

...

 _"The time has come."_

 _The dragon fires will arise._

 _Everyone will embrace your wrath._

 _All shall witness destruction_ _before the might of the great dragon king._

 _It is time to awaken,_

 _Natsu Dragneel_

 _..._

Raynare had to glanced back as she felt something ominous coming from the supposedly dead pinkette. For a second there, she thought that he was dead, seeing that he wasn't moving at all either.

"Was it my imagination?" She asked herself as she took a moment to observe the pinkette until a burst of flames erupted from his body, causing a large gale that soon burned down the trees around them and pushed the fallen angel back for a few meters away from him.

"What in the world-" Her sentence came to a stop as she saw the pinkette easily standing up despite having a hold pierced on his body. His face shadowed his expression as he managed to stand up despite having his injuries still open.

"Impossible...! A normal human cannot be standing with a wound like that..."

With her stuttering in response to the pinkette, Natsu didn't waste any time as he lifted up his hand above before amassing a seemingly large fireball, capable of obliterating a large area and threw right towards Raynare in fast speeds in which she narrowly dodged before exploding to the far corner of the barrier, shocking the fallen angel.

"T-That fire just now... That isn't something a human would possess... You don't even have a Sacred Gear on your body so why are you-"

"I don't get what you're blabbering about... I'll burn all of you!" Natsu shouted in anger before sinking his body as he inhaled huge amounts of air until flames followed suit, creating a slurping sound as Raynare was left in shock at the sight.

 **"Fire Dragon's ROAR!"** Shouting with all his might, Natsu let out a burst of fire from his mouth as it went straight towards the fallen angel who could only watch in horror at the flames trying to engulf her whole.

However, the flames simply missed its mark on her and went passed at her though causing a large crater as it destroyed anything in its path, leaving the park completely devastated as a result. Smoke settled and the battle was already over with Natsu having to experience strains all over his body with the help of his injuries that left him struggling to stay conscious as he casted one last glance over to the terrified fallen angel who by the way, experienced her near death.

"Why... didn't you aim at me?" She tried asking despite having to draw his last breath and eventually parted his last words that shocked the fallen angel.

"I... ... ... just can't do it. N-No matter how hard I tried to... ... ki-" A loud thud soon echoed in the battlefield as Raynare was the only one left alive in the battle and not before long she turned her attention on the now lying pinkette who deliberately spared her from the blast.

Putting it aside, she might've discovered something that wasn't supposed to happen. Before she could even examine the pinkette, two magical circles soon appeared beside the two boys with Issei having a red one while the other yellow.

"A magic circle?" Easily recognizing the symbols, Raynare made haste to use the commotion to escape in battle since she only came to kill the one with the Sacred Gear, not the other one who mysteriously had something that can rival that of a stronger being.

Meanwhile, Natsu's consciousness was eventually fading and the last thing he was able to see was the strand of a black hair and red hair that glowed before darkness overtook him.

* * *

 **A/N: And that's a wrap! Sorry for the long chapter. I was hoping to divide it but the pacing got long and I had to rush things towards the meeting of the girls to the boys. Before any of you could assume things, NO... No Sacred Gears and No to becoming a devil for Natsu. Eat it, suck on it. That's final so I apologize to the ones who wanted him to have a sacred gear or have him become a devil in Rias peerage. Dragonslaying magic will be always for him for lyfe, hue hue hue. :P**

 **So alot of things were revealed right off the bat so I'll just keep it simple, Natsu is indeed a dragonslayer and a human in this story. A lot of revelations will be featured on the next chapter so stay tuned.**

 **Also, I wanted to thank you all guys for supporting this story at an early time. I hope to keep you all company in the future along with my other stories as well. Once again, thank you and I'll see you on the next chapter.**

 **P.S. PM me for any questions you have in mind. I'll answer them whenever I can.**

 **\- wiErD SpeCtrumz blacking out... ... ...**


	3. Devil's Appearance

**A/N: Sup guys, wiErD here. Got another chapter for you guys.**

 **Hope you like it :)**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own FT or HS DxD or its elements. All goes to their respective authors. Support the official releases.**

* * *

 **\- Devil's Appearance -**

Rias and Akeno stood shockingly at the scene after watching the fallen angel flew away from their location, leaving only two dying bodies of the two brothers who were unfortunate to have encountered such an unprecedented situation altogether. None of them ever predicted that those two would eventually be involved in the fight so early and they even barely had the power to fight back against a supernatural being.

Scanning their surroundings, Rias immediately removed the barrier surrounding them and began to walk over to the newly resurrected brown-haired boy in worry as the plan didn't go well as expected. Although, he unconsciously called out to her, she never expected to have his brother whom they were still trying to observe be caught up in the mess.

Well besides that, the contract was complete and their target has been achieved with Issei finally revived as a devil. It somehow came to a surprise to the red-haired devil since it required eight pawns of her Evil Pieces to bring back him alive, leaving her with only a few pieces to complete her set.

Leaving that aside, she was also surprised to find that Akeno also appeared on the scene, seeing her unexpectedly showing up without her even knowing beforehand. Casting a glance towards the black-haired female, Rias saw her tending over to the dying pinkette who had only little bit of life essence left within him.

"I didn't expect you to come out here, Akeno... I thought you changed your role in observing him."

"I merely placed a magic spell on him just in case he got into trouble though it appears like I'm too late to intervene."

"It can't be avoided... We didn't actually expect him to follow them right after the attack... I guess, an adopted brother is still a brother." Rias mused.

..

..

"Is it really okay for him to be left like this?" It was then Akeno spoke with a blank tone on her voice as she worriedly looked over to the pinkette who had been coughing up blood due to his grave injury.

"I'm sorry Akeno, but none of the rest of the pieces would fit to him... This was the first time, I'm witnessing a human rejecting an Evil Piece on his own. Not even Nii-sama had ever witness something like this in a long time. I'm guessing that he might be resisting it or something inside him is rejecting it..." Rias pondered.

"...Is there anything we could do to save him?" Her voice was slightly quivering despite her usual attitude, slightly shocking the redhead but retained her composure before looking intently at her fellow friend.

Rias could somehow feel the same for her queen, seeing that she also cared for the safety of the pinkette ever since they started observing them both although they prioritized different people at that time. And such a cruel fate was bestowed upon the pinkette who had nothing to do with all this, only to die in the hands of a fallen angel that the black-haired female so greatly despised all the same.

It only fueled her growing resentment towards them as she saw another innocent human be caught into their battle.

If she had known much of the situation then none of this will-

Her thoughts suddenly came to an abrupt end as flames started to form around the pinkette himself, causing a massive whirl of fire that burned everything including Akeno who hastily backed away from him to avoid from getting scorched and watched in disbelief together with Rias as they witnessed him being engulfed in those hot flames.

"Wha... What in the world is happening?" Akeno stuttered in disbelief as they were left to witness a rather bizarre change towards the pinkette as his wounds suddenly closed up almost instantly, shocking the two girls as they stood back in defense at the turn of events.

They lowered their guards as soon as the flames finally disappeared, turning into small embers as Natsu landed roughly down on the ground, giving the girls a moment to process the situation before Akeno started checking his pulse which she unexpectedly felt despite being near dead earlier.

"He... He's alive..." Akeno stammered.

"T-That's impossible... How could he-" Rias stopped momentarily before trying to put things together in one place. Starting from connecting from the devastated area around the park, she assumed that the destruction was done by the pinkette himself. She knows that Issei was still starting to realize his power so the only reason she could point the source of the destruction is Natsu alone.

Something tells her that there's also a possibility of the two of them having strange powers sealed inside them.

Even so, there are still things needed to be done and the procedure of the plan must not be interrupted.

"Akeno..." She called her name in which the black-haired girl glanced back towards her in a brief moment before nodding in response as she began to apply a magical circle on the pinkette who managed to lift his eyes awake, returning back to the world of living before having to get a small glimpse of her before his vision was finally bathe in bright light.

* * *

 _ **Hyoudou Residence... ...**_

The same irritating sound of his alarm clock went into his ears once more as Natsu lazily got up from the sheets and turned irritably on the clock with a pissed off look. Damn, these noisy clocks always ringing at the wrong time. This time, he had a rather big headache experiencing right now and a loud irritating object is probably the last thing he needed before exploding in anger.

"...Why don't you shut up?!" Cursing the object beside him, Natsu slammed the clock, easily destroying as it simply broke into pieces before returning back to sleep.

A moment of silence followed soon after that.

.

.

.

As fast as the speed of lightning, Natsu sprung back to life and quickly turned his attention over to the destroyed clock which he unknowingly destroyed in the process due to his heavy drowsiness. His face mortified as he looked teary over to the object with fear written on his expression.

"Aaaah, crap! Why did I broke it?! Mom's gonna kill me!" He shouted in panic before slowly standing up on his bed while trying to find a solution to his problem. However, he soon stopped completely in his tracks as his memories immediately came back at that time during his encounter with a some supernatural being. What's even more strange is that he can't remember some of it, including how he got here after that.

Although, one thing is for certain, he did witness Issei dying in front of him.

Realizing his brother's fate, Natsu wasted no time as he dropped the destroyed clock and opened the door before stopping right in front of his brother's room. He loudly banged it open to make sure his brother was alright although he can't know for sure. What happened between them was somehow not a dream.

"Issei? Issei! Are you in there?! Answer me?!" He shouted but there was no response.

With his last resort to open the door, Natsu kicked the door open, destroying it from its hinges, unaware of the person inside who jolted awake after the loud crash that followed as Natsu went inside.

"What the hell-" Issei sprung back awake as he looked towards his door, only to jawdrop in response as Natsu barged in to his room, destroying the door as a result.

A wave sign of relief soon overcame him as Natsu was glad to see him alive and okay.

"Natsu... What are you doing?" Issei felt the need to ask before pointing over to the broken door.

"Ah... I thought... you were... uh-" Natsu tried to explain himself but was cut off as the two heard a familiar sound coming from downstairs.

"Natsu-kun... Issei-kun... What was that loud sound just now? Hurry up and come downstairs... You two have school, right?" Their mother called out from the kitchen, unaware that Natsu destroyed the door, leaving the two speechless as they looked at each other with confused look until Issei raised his hand for a suggestion.

"Wanna call for a truce?"

"Yeah... Let's do just that."

..

..

..

A few hours of eating and hiding the broken door from their parents, Natsu and Issei silently ate their breakfast and hastily went to school to avoid much trouble. The two agreed on dishing out from their parents at the moment since they were both recovering from their mysterious dream as Issei walked silently alongside the pinkette who on the other hand was also wondering about the same incident that happened to both of them.

No one sure knows if that was true or not and Natsu couldn't remember some significant parts of it other than dying in his own blood at that time.

Their atmosphere of silence was soon broken as Issei started to ask him something.

"Ne, Natsu... Did you remember something weird yesterday?" That question made him jolt into attention, seeing that both of them seemingly had something to remember about what really happened yesterday.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I just got this crazy dream about us dying on some park-"

"So you remember it too?!" Natsu didn't give his brother the time to finish his statement as he looked at him with a serious look in which Issei simply gave a surprised look towards him after being able to relate to the events that transpired yesterday.

"W-Wait a minute... It wasn't a dream?!" Issei stuttered in response.

"I'm sure that wasn't a dream, Issei... We both dreamed the same thing and died without even knowing of what's happened." The two of them stopped walking for a moment before trying to recollect their memories until Issei widened his eyes in realization after remembering something other than their supposed death premonitions.

"That's right! I was on a date with Yuuma-chan!" He explained which confused the pinkette for a moment before also realizing the person he was talking about.

"Oh, yeah... That girl with you yesterday... From what I remember she was-" He stopped in mid-sentence as blurry images of a black-haired girl coated in dark-like wings came inside his mind that soon caused him to have a severe pain over his head that led him to stagger from his position, prompting the brown-haired brother to help him to stand up properly after seeing him getting some sort of a pain inside his head just by trying to remember something.

"Natsu! Are you alright?!" Issei panicked.

"I-I'm okay... It happens all the time when I tried remembering something that wasn't meant to be remembered." He reasoned.

"Even so, we still don't know what really happened and Yuuma-chan seemed to be nowhere on sight... We should take it easy for awhile and try to sink it all in one by one." Issei suggested.

"You're right... Let's go." After recovering, the two went on their way towards the academy with a lot of questions hanging over their heads. There's really something going on around here and they needed to find out what it is. It doesn't happen like this very often to them and the recent days has turned even weirder for them as they were seemingly the ones who remember of Yuuma-chan.

Not even Matsuda and Motohama are aware of the name of the girl. Natsu and Issei were sure that they introduced her to them yesterday also and to see them unable to remember something about her makes them to suspect that there is something big going on around here. Not even that, Issei couldn't even find the number of the girl that he exchanged numbers with on their first meeting. Even pictures that he took with her during their date was never recovered, leaving them nothing but their hazy memories of the past.

..

..

The day had started to turn once more to the height of the noon as the two simply gave up on the investigation and tried clearing their heads for a moment. Issei had been uncomfortable for some reason and had been intently listening at the lesson to keep him occupied while Natsu simply gazed over to the window, trying to delve in further unto his memories to see if there's anything to help them track the missing girl down.

Closing his eyes to rest, he began to see blurred images of a winged person and the same creature he saw back in his earlier dreams. But just as he was about to move in further, his mind had turned for the worse as flames erupted around him and engulfed him instantly from his mind, causing him to return back to reality without even noticing the eyes of the students and their teacher darting over to him.

The reason for their sudden turn of attention was his hand that soon made a loud crack on his table after gripping it hard. Everyone was thrown in a collective forms of surprises as they looked at the pinkette who was unaware of what he was doing.

"Mr. Dragneel... I suppose you know that is school property... If you looking to find something to break, I hope that you find a resourceful way of compensating the damages." The teacher spoke up in a slightly cold tone.

"I'm sorry... I was not thinking. I'm not feeling well today." He reasoned.

"Either way, you're still going to pay for it, one way or another... Tell your parents for the repairs if you don't want to get a major offense in your card. And if you're not feeling well, you could've just went to the clinic instead of roughly breaking things out in the blue."

"It won't happen again..."

"I hope that would be the last... ... ... Now, going back to our lesson-"

The rest of the day continued as Issei turned over to Natsu in worry as he watched him sat down with a troubled look that he was able to witness for the first time in those years. Natsu was never to show an expression of uncertainty before. The only thing that he was able to show that was from that time when Issei tried befriending him back when they were kids. He just cautious around him since the two of them haven't known too much to each other and to be able to see him again in that same expression years back simply worried him.

Going back to the pinkette, Natsu felt the need to examine his body for a moment. This is the second time he broke something without even knowing. It is as is he had gone stronger than what he usually does. Gazing over to his right hand in confusion, he wondered about what happened to him back then.

It was then he started noticing some changes beside from his abnormal strength. His sense of hearing suddenly went sharper above from that of a human being along with rest of his senses as he looked around in a confused manner.

His head was somehow playing tricks on him again.

Feeling that nothing would come out good for him at his rate, Natsu simply rested on the table, trying to get his troubles right out of his mind.

..

..

The bell rang and the start of lunch break soon came as both Natsu and Issei settled their food up to the roof in order to avoid any attention to their own problems. It was probably the first time they'd ever gathered together for lunch since the pinkette would solely eat on his own while the brownette would hang out on his two perverted friends, peeking on girl's locker rooms.

This time, however, is serious and they needed to stay together just in case the same thing happened between them like the dream they had witnessed earlier. Both of them sat on a bench and silently ate their lunch there without saying anything though Natsu began to start their conversation in order to keep the atmosphere alive.

"Just what have we gotten ourselves into...?"

"Beats me... At this rate, I'm never gonna get my hands on oppai anytime sooner." Issei frowned.

"Lewd jokes aside, I think we're getting caught up on something big around here."

"Yeah... After dreaming something like that, I felt different from what I was been in a few days ago."

"You feel that too, huh?" Natsu inquired.

"Yeah... Things like this are just hard to process without an explanation... Our memories are fried. Our brains are fried since we cannot remember a goddamn thing yesterday that could lead us to Yuuma-chan." Hearing that name, Natsu frowned all of a sudden.

"That's strange... I kinda feel like that I knew her real name for some reason."

"Huh? What are you talking about? Her real name is Amano Yuuma, right?"

"I know, but... ... ... there's something than what my mind was telling me."

A sigh from Issei soon followed.

"Thinking things like these are seriously making me tired... Although, I wanted to find out the truth, I still don't want to overwork myself over something like that for a long time." He suggested.

"You're right... I guess, we should just let it slide this time... I doubt anyone would believe us no matter how many times we explain it to anyone." Natsu agreed.

"We should head back to class. I hate skipping classes, unlike you who were always doing that kind of thing."

"No worries, I'm attending all of it today... I need a bit of rest for the whole thing between that dream... It's making my head hurt and my body weird for some reason."

After getting a nod from Issei, the two simply resumed downstairs and wasted the rest of their time in class until the day had finally ended. The sun was already going down and the streetlights have begun to light up the streets as the two slowly walked their way back towards their house. For a moment, Issei tried suggesting about visiting the same park that they probably saw in their dream where they died.

At first, Natsu tried denying it since it might serve as a catalyst to their premonition if they go there but Issei insisted, hoping that they might find some answer along the way.

It didn't take long for them to reach to the park as the place was seemingly deserted as the night came down and replaced the twilight sky in darkness. Both of them settled for a moment as they started to look for clues relating to the dream.

Issei on the other hand, had a rather complicated change as his vision turned light red as the night seemed brighter than the day.

"Hey, Natsu... Don't you think that it's kinda brighter at night?" He tried asking the pinkette but Natsu could only tilt his head in confusion at his question as he looked at him with a puzzled look.

"What are you saying? It's dark, alright... Can't you see it clearly in your own eyes?" Natsu replied.

Issei was about to ask another question but forced not to since he was telling the truth. Even for Natsu, the night is dark but for him, it's on a different scale and his vision towards his surroundings have become sharper than ever before. It's becoming very unhuman-like in his own perspective.

"Is something wrong?" Natsu asked curiously.

"A-Ah... Nothing... Let's uhh- let's keep looking." He dissuaded his worries before resuming again to search the park for answers.

But even after minutes of searching around for anything, they haven't got a lead as they were left empty to find evidence.

"Have you found anything?" Natsu asked.

"No... I suppose not." Issei answered with a frown.

"I see... I guess we may never really know of what happened to Yuuma." Both of them simply sat on the fountain to recollect their thoughts once again. They both stayed silent as the sound of the water gushing out from the top of the fountain simply reverberated to the quiet park as the night pressed on.

"This is the place where I- no, we last saw her..." Issei suddenly spoke.

"Seems like it..."

"Damn, I just can't get over about seeing us dying like that without any explanations... Even Yuuma-chan's disappearance."

"I guess we may never know..." They both sighed in unison, seeing that they finally got tired of the search. It was then Natsu turned onto the brownette with anticipation. "Should we go home? You know, mom is probably waiting for us about breaking that door earlier."

"And whose fault is it?"

An excusable whistle came from the pinkette as soon as he said that with accusation. But just as they were about to leave the area, a strong aura forced them to froze on their bodies as they glanced around and saw a mysterious hatted figure near the shadows as Natsu and Issei were left shocked and trembling at the same time just by looking at its masking presence.

"How unfortunate... It might just be my lucky day to meet your kind in such a place." The figure spoke before shifting his hat in a more proper place as he revealed himself from the shadows and saw the two boys in a clear view. Both of them can't stop the shaking fear inside their bodies until the figure finally casts his glance towards them, causing the two of them to leap away in a safe distance but was shocked to find that they were able to jump that high in the first place.

"Hoh, so you have a human companion right beside you... I must say that it's really unlucky for you to be mixed up in this, boy..." His eyes soon turned over to the pinkette with a smirk which only made them to raise their guard in defense against the figure.

"What's he talking about?" Issei whispered.

"The hell I know! Anyway, we should run away from here. That guys smells trouble."

And with that, the two tried running away from the other direction, leaving the figure behind in a matter of seconds. But as they sprinted away from the scene, they begin to see multiple black feathers falling out from the sky, prompting to look up only to see the figure from before flying above them and eventually landed right in front of them to cut their escape.

"This is why low-level creatures are so troublesome... They run, they hide without even accepting the fact that they're never going to survive no matter how fast they can get away from those higher to them." He continued to speak in a unusual way as he remain composed without even telling them of what's going on.

"I don't know what you're talking about so how about you tell us what's going on or I'll bust your face if I have to." Natsu threatened.

"Oi, Natsu! Quit it! It's not going to work on someone like him!" Issei reminded.

"Then what am I suppose to do?!" Natsu retorted and not before long they were interrupted by the man once again who laughed at their antics, especially to Natsu who seemed to blabber such strong words on someone like him that casually.

"I like your spirit, boy. But unfortunately, you're not the one I'm targeting for though I might just have to kill you once I'm done with him." He looked towards Issei until he lifted his hand and summoned a blade of light which somehow got the two to remember something important and similar back then. Their eyes widened in shock as the man soon pointed the blade towards Issei before thrusting it towards him without warning in blinding speeds.

"Issei! Watch out!" Natsu tried to shout but the reaction was too fast for Issei to process as he was left to close his eyes from his imminent death.

 _ ***SHUNK* *CRACKLE***_

The sound of piercing flesh boomed through their ears as Issei was left to open his eyes and stared shockingly as Natsu stretched his right arm to catch the blade, only to pierce his arm with blood gushing out from it as Natsu suppressed the pain with all his might as his body trembled in the process.

"Hoh, I'm impressed that a human like you would be able to withstand such pain... If you were a demon, the damage would've inflicted too much for you to handle." The man mused.

On the other hand, Issei was simply shocked to find his brother being pierced in the arm as blood smeared onto his clothes while unable to gaze away from the serious wound he got from the man.

"N-Natsu... ... Y-Your arm?!" He stuttered.

"Kugh-" Natsu gritted his teeth in frustration as he tried to suppress it until the blade disappeared and reappeared back on the man's hand which only served as another shot for him to kill him. With Natsu rattled, there's nothing to save them from the next attack.

Shifting his attention once again to the pinkette, Issei tried helping the pinkette who was left standing in shock at the wound as blood continue to drip from his right hand, causing him severe pain.

"What the hell are you doing, you bastard?!" Issei soon glared over to the man who caused pain to his brother.

"Fufu... It's his fault for interfering... If he hadn't dodged that, I would've killed you by now..."

"Why are you trying to kill us?!" He demanded though the man could only stifle a laugh at his question before slightly recomposing himself and reply back.

"Why? I guess even a low-level devil doesn't know of what's going on... I don't sense any of the presence of your master or comrades. You're not even trying to escape nor using a magic circle. That analysis must led me to refer you as a stray." He began summoning his weapon once more as Issei couldn't follow through the man's statement.

"I don't get what you're trying to say-"

"Say no more... I'll end you and that human boy in an instant... It must be very painful to suffer from something like that, boy?" He turned his attention towards the still trembling pinkette who had been shadowing his expression for awhile now.

..

..

Soon afterwards, Natsu slowly began to stand up, surprising Issei as he was able to manage himself up despite having such a fatal wound on his arm.

"I-It's hurts... I-It seriously hurts, alright... And I know for a fact that you're trying to kill us for no reason... ... ... But I just can't simply stand around and do nothing while you're trying to kill my brother, YOU BASTARD!"

In a split-moment, a large explosion of flames erupted from Natsu's body as the man was simply drawn back a few meters away from the two as Issei was left stunned at the sight before him. Natsu was seemingly coated in flames but that's not all, the flames seemed to have no effect on them as their clothes didn't burn away despite being on close proximity to it and the outer surroundings being scorched by it.

What's even more strange is that the wound on his brother's arm was somehow gone and instantly closed the moment he unleashed the flames.

"Wha... What is going on?" The man stammered in surprise at the change of events as he saw the pinkette had gone into some transformation as flames gathered around him and healed his injuries in an instant. His eyes turned crimson and his pink hair waved around the dance of his flames which burned anything that soon came into contact with it.

"Hmph, don't get so full of yourself, boy!" The man tried to launching another blade of light towards him but Natsu simply deflected it with a swipe of his bare hands that soon shocked both him and Issei as it crashed on a far distance away.

"I-Impossible! How did you-"

"You tried to kill my brother, you bastard! I don't know what you're up to but if you so much lay a finger on my family... I'll make sure to beat you up until you're not able to stand up!" Shouting in complete anger, Natsu flared his fist in flames as the man was left to stare at him in fear.

 **"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"** With a brief shout, Natsu heavily punched the man through the face as he sent me tumbling away before instantly recovering with the help his wings before turning on his cheek which suffered a severe burn from the pinkette before looking at him frustration.

"A mere human... inflicting such an injury this much?! Unforgivable... UNFORGIVABLE!" The man shouted in rage towards Natsu before summoning a larger blade of light to use against him.

Issei still haven't sank all that is happening around him but one thing is certain, if they stayed around here for long, they might not luckily survive next time despite Natsu protecting him from the black-winged man.

If only there's someone who would help them out of this situation.

 _'This is hopeless...! Someone...! Anyone...! Please help us!'_

Before the man could even throw his blade towards Natsu, a black red energy wave was shot out from nowhere, destroying the blade as the man was left surprised at the sudden ambush.

"Who was that?" He begun to ask, only to gaze towards left as a red magic circle appeared a few meters away from Issei. The red glow made it seemed hard for them to see clearly until they managed to adjust themselves to it and both Natsu and Issei were simply surprised to see the person in the middle of it just by recognizing her red crimson hair.

"Don't lay a finger on those boys..." She spoke firmly towards the man.

"Rias-senpai?" Issei spoke in realization.

..

..

"Who in the hell are you?!" The man demanded for an answer as he tried launching a spear of light towards her, only to be deflected once more by another person who came landing right in front of Rias. It was a girl, slightly shorter than Issei and Natsu with white hair that reached only to her shoulders and appears to be wearing the same uniform as the redhead. Issei immediately realized the girl appearing right in front of them.

"Koneko Toujou?!"

"More are coming? Damn you, devils!" The man tried for the last assault until a giant bolt of lightning struck past before him, sending him flying as the lightning generated an explosion as another person revealed herself to the group in which Natsu easily recognized.

"Akeno-senpai?"

The blast blew the man away before recovering easily though was easily caught off guard as Natsu didn't waste time to lose focus and came dashing through the dust before grabbing his face with his hand and set it ablaze as Rias and the others were left shocked at the sight.

 **"Fire Dragon's Wing Attack!"** Blasting him away with his hands, Natsu sends the man away tumbling once more before slowly getting up on his feet until he received a glare from the man who had his face injured from that attack just now.

"This is the second time, you hit me, HUMAN-"

"Are you still planning on fighting?" Rias interrupted him, prompting all of them to stop fighting as the man recomposed himself before beginning to recognize them woman with red hair.

"I see... You must be from the Gremory family." He guessed. A smile crept its way on Rias' lips before moving unto a gesture to greet the man.

"I'm Rias Gremory... How are you tonight, fallen angel?"

"Fallen Angel?!" Natsu and Issei spoke in unison.

Hoh, how interesting... Who would've thought that this place was under Gremory's observance. It seems like we were mistaken." He replied before looking back to Issei with a curious look. "Is he from your household?"

"Yes... And I will show no mercy to anyone who tried to mess with him..."

"Well, I guess, that human boy over there did the punishment... Who knew that a human would be capable of fighting fallen angels on his own."

"He's quite an oddity, alright... And he is no doubt under the protection of the Gremory household along with the other boy." Rias explained.

"I see now... Well, I apologize for it. I mistook them for a stray demon... But don't let your servants run free alone in this time of night because the next time I find them again, I won't be so lenient."

"I thank you for the advise but let me give you a warning: Should you do something like this again to them, I also won't be so lenient..." It was then the two brothers saw the killing intent right in her eyes as the man simply lowered his hat in acceptance of the advice before flying up somewhere before disappearing.

"I'm Dohnaseek... I hope that we never face each other again..." As soon as he said that, the barrier began to disappear as Natsu and Issei breath a sigh of relief, seeing the battle is over though their stack of question simply piled up on their heads once again after witnessing something like that in this time of night.

"Waaah. Glad that's over!" Natsu landed on his back until Issei helped him up before turning their attention to the three females of the same school with caution. A moment of silence went on for a moment on both sides until Rias began to speak for themselves.

"Good evening, Issei-kun, Natsu-kun-"

"Umm... I know all the greetings and such but... ... ... can you tell us what's going on?"

* * *

 **A/N: And that's the wrap of the chapter. Hope ya like it!**

 **Of course, there's the question about the E.N.D. backstory for Natsu... I'm sorry to say but I won't be featuring his E.N.D. nature on this story. Rather, I would only focus in his draconic heirtage with Igneel such as his powers and race as one of the dragonkind. Yes, he is a bonafide dragon and his history for this story will remain a mystery except for me so wait until then before I could reveal the secrets behind his past and with Igneel.**

 **Well, it seems like the meetings are set in place now... The prelude of the first arc starts here. And there's gonna be a lot of things needed to tweak to polish the story.**

 **As always, leave a fav or follow if you found the story arousi- err, I mean interesting... Also, leave your opinions in the review of tell me what you think. :)**

 **PM me for any questions and I'll try to answer them as soon as possible.**

 **That's all for now and I'll see you on the next chap.**

 **\- wiErD SpeCtrumz blacking out... ... ...**


	4. With Devils Like These

**A/N: Sup guys, wiErD here... Back with another chapter of the new story.**

 **Hope ya like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own FT and DxD and its elements... All goes to their respective authors forever unless they decided to pass their work on somebody else then that would be cool :D**

* * *

 **\- With Devils Like These -**

The room inside the old building of the academy was eerily dark and quiet as it features a horror-theme like atmosphere as candles lit up separately from all places with dark patches overtaking the less lit areas of the room. Two candles lit up from the main desk where Rias was sitting accompanied by Akeno who had been standing beside her ever since they led the two puzzled brothers here. Windows were left open as small gusts of wind passed through it, blowing the curtain softly as Natsu and Issei were left sitting on one seat, facing the desk. Well, it was a place suitable for the club's name, seeing that they're all the same.

Koneko on the other hand, was simply sitting on the left couch facing sideways before eating her own food silently as if she was just spectating the whole discussion between two sides. Another figure soon joined up the party as he sat on a nearby couch across Koneko and it didn't take long for the two brothers to recognize the person itself just by looking at his face and his rumored popularity amongst the girls in the campus.

While Natsu could care less of the status, Issei was inwardly biting his nails hard in frustration of his appearance in the club.

A moment of silence came about until the red-haired beauty began her conversation towards them.

"Well, it seems like everyone is finally assembled... I guess, you two had a lot of questions bottling up in your mind right now."

"I'm really sorry for the trouble we had caused earlier... We had to give a bit of a face towards that man as to show the devil's presence in the town." Akeno soon followed before bowing in respect to the two.

"Devil?" Issei tilted his head in confusion.

"That's right... All of us here are devils. And the proof of it lies on the presence of your wings." Rias spoke until every one of them, except Natsu sprouted out dark bat-like wings behind their backs that soon surprised the two though with Issei frowning in disbelief as he found himself to have one as well.

"Hey, Issei... Since when did you got wings?" Natsu asked curiously.

"The hell I know!" Issei retorted.

"You were resurrected as a devil, Issei." It was then Rias continued as the two simply widened their eyes in surprised at her statement.

"What do you mean, resurrected?" Natsu inquired but the redhead didn't reply. Instead, she simply stood up before taking out a couple of photos that were recently taken and presented it to the table. It came to as a shock for Natsu and Issei as the pictures shown images of Amano Yuuma together with them during that time.

"Y-Yuuma-chan?" Issei gasped.

"H-How did you get a hold of this?" Natsu asked curiously.

"We've been monitoring the two of you for quite some time and at the same time, that girl came about and asked you on a date, right?" She then looked at Issei for confirmation.

"Y-Yeah... We did date together and then, there was at a time when we're on a park... We- how can I say it... We sorta died." Issei tried to remember.

"That's right... What you two had been remembering ever since this morning was all true... Amano Yuuma tried to kill both of you." Rias explained.

"Then why would she try to kill us?" Natsu asked.

"That's because your brother possessed something inside his body that would be a potential threat to the fallen angels."

Another sudden realization went through the two as Natsu's head experienced another form of headache as his memories of the black-winged woman in his dreams began to return with a more clearer view as he immediately recognized the person inside his mind. Putting all the pieces together, Natsu finally realized what they were up against at that time.

"Then, Yuuma was a-"

"Fallen Angel... Yes. That black-winged man that you two stumbled across earlier was indeed a fallen angel. And he tried to kill you for the same reason..." She paused for a moment before trying to begin her story.

"... As God's right hand angels, they held some impure ideas and thus fell into heaven... While being able to control humans, they have been on war against us devils for a long time. Ever since then, they passed from Heaven to Earth and also to Hell, bringing chaos amongst the devils. Aside from fallen angels, there are angels sent by God in Heaven to murder us, thus giving our faction the disadvantage of being attacked on both sides."

While being interested to learn about supernatural beings and their position in the current world, Natsu and Issei felt speechless at the fact that they were discussing some kind of a hidden history lecture kept away from the knowledge of humans.

"Do you understand our story so far?" Rias asked.

"Well, I do understand all of it but this seemed too unreal for me... I mean, I'm just a normal human so why would you reveal such an information." Natsu asked.

"You are a special human, Natsu... I think you already know by now... Your powers are different that of a normal Sacred Gear. In fact, we don't sense a Sacred Gear inside your body except for your unknown power that you unknowingly unleashed during your fight with that fallen angel." The redhead explained which only surprised the pinkette as he looked at his own hand in uncertainty.

"But I didn't know what I did in that fight... I just acted out of instinct."

"Acted out to protect your brother that is... It unleashed the power inside you, isn't that right? I was hoping that you would give us a more concrete knowledge of your power but you seemed to be unaware of it until now." She frowned as he looked at the pinkette in curiosity.

"We've still don't know what your power is capable of but we cannot also bring this yet to the other factions as well, seeing that you might get their attention." Akeno proposed.

"What do you mean by that?"

"During the Great War between Angels, Fallen Angels and Devils, the three factions were crippled on both sides so devastating that they relied on humans to replenish their forces in a sufficient time."

"Then the reason why you resurrected Issei is because-"

"That's right... The devils also suffered great losses during that war and we have to rely on humans in order to survive."

"Then what happened to the all-time deceiving the humans and dragging them down to hell by committing sin?" Natsu asked but only a light giggled came from Rias.

"That's just an old depiction of the devils... In truth, we never really cared for the humans until after the Great War... It was only implemented in order to maintain the balance between good and evil." She explained.

"Well, that explains it."

"There are still things needed to be discussed with you two but I'm afraid we don't have enough time... Tomorrow, I'll send in Kiba as a messenger to guide you two once more in here to continue our discussion. Right now, I think both you two deserve some rest."

"I'll take up that offer." Natsu raised his hand in agreement.

"Oh and one more thing, there's still a case concerning about you, Natsu Dragneel..."

The pinkette could look at the redhead in confusion. "What about me?"

"You are the only human in this room... If you insist of following Issei for the sake of family, you will be undoubtedly be a target to whatever the Gremory household would face in the future." It was then Natsu's face started to frown all of a sudden.

"Are you saying that you need to me to forget about all of this?"

"Not necessarily no... With your powers growing into some unknown levels, there's still a chance for you to be a target even if you're not affiliated with the household..."

"So either way, I'm getting dragged into this, aren't I?" Natsu spoke in a matter of fact.

"I'm sorry... If there's any other way, we could've done it for the betterment of the two of you..." Rias apologized.

Natsu simply took a moment to think about it as they all waited for his answer. Issei could only look at his brother in worry, seeing that he's quite troubled by the turn of the events. Sure, there's still a lot to take in for the new lecture they just had with the President of the Occult Research Club but he could somehow feel that he may never talk to him like they usually do if he were to deny all of this and return home like nothing ever happened between them and the devils.

.

.

.

After a moment of silence, Natsu could only sigh before looking back to Rias with a decision.

"I guess, there's no helping it... If Issei is anything, he's a idiot but I can't just stand by and watch him suffer from all of this..."

A scoff from the brown-haired boy soon came afterward.

"Are you sure about this? You'll be an ally to the devils in which you will make enemies against fallen angels and angels. You won't be able to return to your normal life once you decided upon this." She clarified.

"Angels, Fallen Angels or whatever beings that we might face in the future, let them come... As long as I can protect my family and friends then that's all that matters." He declared with determination which slightly surprised the redhead in which turned for a smile towards him before reaching out a hand towards him as a form of greeting.

"Then, it's nice to meet you, Natsu Dragneel... Issei Hyoudou... We're happy to welcome you here."

"Same here... ... but can I just have one question..." Natsu asked.

"What is it?"

"You said that Issei died, right? Then he was resurrected... How did I survive? I mean, I also kinda remember being impaled by something sharp at that time... So I was wondering..." He trailed off in thought, unsure of what sort of words he should say for that matter since it involves his supposed death.

It's something that a human would never actually ask about since you're talking about death and sort. Rias and Akeno could only look at each other in uncertainty before turning their attention back to the pinkette once more.

"Well, that's the thing... The moment when you were at the verge of death, something unusual happened to you at that time... You were surrounded by flames and it healed your wound in a fast rate." Rias explained.

"High-speed regeneration is quite rare in the demon world, seeing it to be a high-ranking ability for higher-ranking devils but you were able to use it at the moment of your imminent death. This also tells why we don't have a clue of what your power is right now... Only a speculation could be done at the moment but other than that, it's a mystery... Do you think that you might somehow know something that could lead you to how you obtain your powers?" Akeno asked curiously and at the same time worried for the pinkette as she saw him getting more uneasy than he usually does.

"I-I don't know... how I got these powers in the first place... ... But lately, I'm having this... ... weird dream that's been showing up often in my sleep."

"What sort of dream?"

"I can't tell... But for some reason, I kept seeing this giant creature with wings-" His statement was halted as another form of headache went past by him, causing him to stagger as a result which shocked the people around him in worry.

"Natsu!" Issei shouted out in worry as he helped him compose himself.

"Are you alright?" Akeno asked worriedly.

"S-Sorry... it's just that- everytime I tried remembering it, I get some pretty huge headaches."

"Come on, stop thinking about that for now and try to calm down..." Issei advised.

"Hmm... I guess, there's still bigger things than what we're seeing here tonight. In any case, I apologize for having you to remember something hurtful." Rias bowed apologetically.

"I-It's fine... I'm used to it anyways."

"Well, I guess that ends our discussion for the night... I'll have Akeno and Koneko to escort the two of you back home since we don't want any fallen angels preying on you again..." She suggested which made the entire group to nod in response before getting things done for the night.

...

...

...

A few hours of saying their farewells to their unlikely devil friends, Natsu and Issei went back home, accompanied by Akeno and Koneko who are always on high alert as if they were bodyguards for the two. Although, the two hated the fact that they were being looked after by girls, they had no choice but to comply since it's for their safety.

It didn't take long for them to finally reach to their residence as the two brothers finally found their safe haven. A moment of expressing their gratitude to the girls soon followed though Issei was kicked hard to the knees by Koneko after mistakenly fantasizing her with his lewd thoughts.

Both Natsu and Akeno looked at each other for a moment until the latter tried to ask something.

"How are your injuries?"

"Fine, I guess... Thanks for saving us back there... Who knows what could've happened to us if you didn't show up." Natsu spoke cheerful.

"Ara, ara... That's nothing to be thankful of... After all, we're all friends here..."

"Still, I can't believe that you were a devil, Akeno-senpai... I never expected you to be more than just a pretty girl." A small blush made onto the black-haired girl's cheeks before trying to hide to show her straight composure towards the pinkette.

"Do you still think the same about me now that you found out my real identity?" She changed the topic.

..

..

"Well... ... No, I don't think so... Devil or not, I still think that you're a good person, Akeno-senpai. You saved me, right?" He reassured.

"I guess you're right..." She smiled.

"I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Sure... I'll you tomorrow, Natsu-kun." She smiled once more until a magical circle appeared right in beneath the two of them and disappeared on sight, leaving the two alone once more.

"That's kinda cool..." Issei remarked.

"Yup... Anyway, I could use some hot bath right now... I'm freezing out here."

* * *

 ** _The next day... ..._**

The day was still normal for the two at least to some extent since they were able to walk towards the school without running in some trouble with the same fallen angels yesterday. Well, it seemed like luck was not their side this time. Either way, they managed to reach to the academy before the bell could ring and simply attended their classes as normal as they could.

Lunch break soon came about and the some of the students went out to eat at the cafeteria, leaving only several ones inside as Natsu and Issei simply waited for the messenger to arrive.

A few minutes of waiting and their cue finally came as they heard a couple of squeals coming from the girls of the class as a blonde-haired boy made his appearance in the classroom and not before long being interrupted by a couple of girls who were delighted to see him in their classroom.

A scowl formed in Issei's face as he glowered at the handsome boy in the distance, much to the pinkette's confusion, seemingly puzzled to his expression just now. As soon as the male finished in dealing with the girls, he finally made his way to the two boys with anticipation as he greeted himself before them.

"Hello, Natsu Dragneel, Hyoudou Issei... My name is Yuuto Kiba. Buchou asked me to fetch the two of you towards the club to resume our discussion from yesterday." The boy named Kiba smiled in response, giving off a sense of a high atmosphere between them as he reached out a hand as a form of greeting.

"Y-Yeah... it's nice to meet you, Kiba... So are we heading out then?" Natsu accepted the greeting before turning back to the topic at hand.

"Yes... Buchou needed as much information to be discussed for the two of you in order to get accustomed to the life of a devil." He explained.

"I'm not a devil though..." He deadpanned.

"Well, either way, you're now part of the club. Devil or not, it does not change our views as comrades in arms." Kiba replied.

"I guess so... So are we ready to go?"

"Follow me... I'll lead you to the others."

And with that, they departed from the classroom, leaving a couple of girls surprised and confused at the moment until the three were finally able to evade their attention as they went through the school yard and into the old building where the club was being held.

As soon as they arrived, Rias, Akeno and Koneko were already there waiting for them as the three males made their way inside. After that, they settled over to one of the couches and sat there as the three other females settled onto the other couches and with Akeno offering tea to the guests as a form of formality between people.

"Welcome, you two... How's your first day with us?" Rias began to ask.

"Fine, I guess... I can't tell any difference between my normal life and this life I'm having at the moment." A light giggle came from the redhead before continuing.

"Well, it takes time in getting used to it... Anyways, I know you still have a lot of questions in your mind right now. So where do you want to start?"

..

..

Another moment silence soon followed as Natsu began to raise his hand in question.

"Umm... I wanna ask about how new devils like Issei do once they join the household... Are they going special training or jobs or sorts?"

"Ah, now that you mentioned it, I forgot to tell about the relationship between newly-resurrected devils and their masters... You see, we are all having a master-and-slave relationship between us and the humans reborn as a devil..." She paused.

"So Issei is the slave?" Natsu asked.

"Yes... But we don't do the traditional depiction of the relationship... We do this in order to increase our power by performing contracts with other people."

"Wait a moment, you contracted with other people?"

"Of course, humans nowadays are still dependent on the devils and they were aware of our existence... We do certain tasks to satisfy them like customers by fulfilling roles and helping them in any way we can... In return, they gave contracts to us which allows for our powers to increase greatly, depending on the number of contracts we have on those people..."

"That's some pretty weird currency for devils." Natsu tilted his head in confusion. Rias stood for a moment before placing a pile of paper sheets into the desk with symbols written in every one of them as the two peered over it to have a better look.

"This is the symbol of summoning a devil in which humans tend to use very often to contact us... Normally, our familiars or slaves do that kind of thing but since that you were a beginner, you need to have firsthand experience in order to get used to it." She turned her attention to Issei who had been quiet for quite some time.

"So I'm delivering these papers to them?" Issei grabbed a small pile of them before examining them.

"Yes... Once that's done... Contracts would soon call out to us in which we would answer to them eventually..."

..

..

"Can I help? I mean, I might not be a devil but I'd like to see it for myself as well if that's okay." It was then Natsu began to speak.

"No problem at all... In fact, it might be a good idea for Issei to have someone to tag along with him since he is a beginner." Rias smiled.

"Cool!"

"You'll be delivering these papers this night but before that, are there other questions you want to ask about?" The redhead soon asked until it was Issei's turn to raise his hand.

"You said about humans having something inside their bodies which makes them a target for fallen angels or sorts?" After asking, Rias turned over to her other peers before going back to the question at hand.

"Sacred Gear."

"Sacred what?" Natsu stupidly asked.

"It's a power unintentionally granted to some humans... It is believed that many notable people throughout history have those kinds of powers... A power that sometimes exceeds that of a devil or angel, thus having them to become threats from both sides. In a more peaceful method, we tend to recruit those people with Sacred Gears and fight with us against our enemies." Akeno explained.

"I see..."

"In order to bring forth the power of the Sacred Gear, you have to imagine the strongest image you can muster and project it in your mind... Try doing it by raising you left hand and focus, Issei." The brownette could only stutter in surprise.

"A-Ah, you mean, right now?!" He clarified.

"Focus, Issei..."

"Y-Yes... Focus... Focus... Focus..." He tried closing his eyes for a second but was unable to do so as he was pressured by the timing needed to think carefully of the image he wanted to picture on his Sacred Gear, no thanks to his lewd thoughts, by the way.

"I can't focus..."

"Very well... It seems like you don't appear to have any powers awakening yet but with the help of Natsu and everyone, I'm sure you would eventually find the power you were looking for." She reassured with a smile which made him to blush from it.

A bell soon rang from the school grounds, signifying the end of the break as the two widened their eyes in realization of the time and proceeded back to the school campus without saying much of a word towards the residents of the old building. But they're sure to come back once again so it's no big deal.

As they were gone from the old building, the other club members of the Occult Research Club parted ways, leaving Akeno and Rias once again in the silent room before turning over to their topic at hand.

"This is going rather faster than we expected..." Rias spoke.

"I agree... ... While I'm alright with the pace, they seemed to accept everything we say about ourselves."

"I know what you mean... Gaining trust is not that easy and we still cannot confirm anything yet about Natsu's power." The redhead pondered.

"Have you considered contacting Sirzechs-sama about it?"

"I'd rather not contact him at the moment... Especially with that matter of engagement, he and father had placed upon me." She bit her lip in irritation which caused the black-haired female to look at her in worry.

"Rias..."

"Putting that aside, we still have a matter about the fallen angels' motive in the town together with new reports of stray demons in the area."

"Yes, Buchou... We have been receiving too much reports on them for quite some time..."

"I guess we might introduce the two how devils fight soon..."

"Ara, ara... You sound pretty excited. I'm looking forward on how Natsu would be capable of handling himself in battle." Akeno smiled.

"That goes for my Issei too... They're both gifted and had special talents. I'm sure they'll improve just fine."

And with that, the two also went back to their classes to spend the rest of the day.

* * *

 _ **A couple hours later... ...**_

It was already nighttime and the streetlights have finally come to light as it shines over to the sidewalk, lighting up the road for any drivers that are passing through. Natsu and Issei had finished their first job in handling out the papers to the people. With the latter pulling his bicycle beside him and Natsu carrying the remaining papers, the two slowly trudged along the pavement as the night goes on.

People weren't seen much often during this time of the night and they could guess that they're probably sleeping or at home by now. After making up an excuse to their parents in staying over by a friend's house, the two of them managed to wander off outside with the task given to them by Rias after their class.

"Man, delivering this papers is making me tired..." Natsu whined.

"Bear with it at least for a moment... Buchou got us a job as a devil so we need to take this seriously." Issei reminded.

"I'm still a human... ... Oh, that reminds me... How's it feel like being resurrected as a devil?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, how do you feel now that you're no longer a human..." Issei paused for a moment to think before deciding to answer his question.

"Well, I don't feel different from what I was before, except that I can see in the dark and had my other senses sharpened. I also felt like I gotten stronger after that." He looked at his palm in wonder before Natsu replied back.

"I see... It's still kinda hard to sink it all in... Devils, fallen angels, or any of those things. It's just one day we were living perfectly normal then suddenly we got powers... and had been encountering a lot of strange people."

"You mean, Rias-senpai and the others?" Issei inquired.

"Yeah... But despite all that, I feel like hanging out with them every now and then... It's a lot more fun than just sleeping on the rooftop." A chuckle came from the brownette after his statement.

"And we're surrounded by beauties... Well, except for that handsome guy... I hate his guts." He scowled in annoyance.

The two continued conversing with each other as they finally reached the last place for their delivery and began their trip back to the academy to report for their success. While being in the process of unlocking their powers, Natsu and Issei were never versatile to use their powers freely and that they needed some training in order to master it.

All seemed to be good for the two of them on the way back until they noticed something wrong in their surroundings. The color of the night sky had turned ominously into voided color as a barrier was formed around them, causing them to stand up guard until a mysterious person appeared near the distance on the streets.

"This feeling... It's the same with the man we encountered before. Could it be-" Issei stammered in shock.

"Fallen Angels... Shit, they found us..."

..

..

"There is no use in running... To think that I would've run into the same person... How strange, why aren't you dead yet, boy." The woman spoke out of irritation as Natsu instantly backed up in front of Issei as he turned serious once more after encountering another fallen angel that was sent to kill his brother yet again.

"Why at a time like this?" Issei stuttered in surprise as he watched the fallen angel began summoning her own blade of light from her hands and pointed it on the two boys without hesitation.

"Why are you alive? Raynare should've killed you already!" She soon threw her blade towards them in which they quickly dodged out of instinct as it hit through the pavement before recomposing once again towards the woman who began to sprout her dark wings and flew above and summoned another two blades in both her hands as she looked at them with a murderous intent.

"Shit, we're gonna die for real this time... Issei, hurry up and bring that Sacred-whatever you have in your body." Natsu ordered.

"It's Sacred Gear! Idiot!"

..

..

"Talking to each other while in the middle of the battle? You boys are good as dead!" Thrusting her blades once more to them, Natsu finally flared in flames as his magic called out to him out of instinct in which he finally coated his fists in flames to deflect the blades effortlessly, shocking the fallen angel in the process.

"Wha- Another Sacred Gear? No- that's not one... You must be the human whom she talks about?" She realized.

"I don't get what your talking about and if you want a fight then I'll gladly give you one, bitch!" Glaring towards the her, Natsu inhaled flames unto his body as rocks and pebbles floated around him due to the intensity until he finally fills it up and directed his gaze onto the woman above him.

 **"Fire Dragon's Roar!"** After shouting, Natsu let out a powerful stream of flames out from his mouth which soon made its way towards her in fast speeds. The fallen angel tried to dodge away but the large wave simply caught up into one of her wings, thus causing her to crash back to the ground and hid her wings behind her back before looking at the pinkette in confounded surprise.

"You two are a greater threat to our kind... I must dispose the two of you right now!" Regaining herself, she turned his attention to the pinkette in alarm as flames coated around him, making it impossible to attack him in hand-to-hand combat.

Issei on the other hand was only left to watch helplessly as he found himself being protected once again. Natsu was always reaching out to protect and yet he can't do anything to help him in return. There must be something that would help him unleash his dormant powers to help him fight those fallen angels together.

Thinking back of the words from Rias, he could only think hard of anything that would remind him to picture his image into his own power.

A slight idea came back on his mind as he recalled on how Natsu was able to fend off Dohnaseek during their encounter with him. A small sensation went through his body as he slowly began to understand what Buchou was telling her before.

One word came inside his mind; Dragon.

He wanted to acquire the power of a dragon in order to protect his friends. That's the only thing that went inside his mind as his left hand soon glowed in bright green color which caused the two to stop as they looked surprisingly at Issei as a green orb formed at the center of his hand which soon morphed into some sort of red gauntlet before unleashing a burst of energy throughout his surroundings that eventually sent the fallen angel away from Natsu with her clothes torn, giving her a semi-naked form as Issei looked confusingly at his weapon.

"Is that-" Natsu blinked in surprise.

"Sacred Gear?!" The woman stuttered before quickly recomposing herself as she noticed a small red crest seen on his right hand. "I see now... The Gremory household has taken you in as one of theirs... ... I cannot kill you, right now... I must inform this to her first! You won't get so lucky next time, devil."

Without giving them time to answer, the woman flew away out of sight as Natsu and Issei recovered from their fight against her.

"O-Oi! Where do you think you're going, coward!" Natsu taunted but the woman had seemingly disappeared in sight as the barrier simply faded around them, thus returning them back to the human world. On the other hand, Issei turned unto the gauntlet located on his left hand in wonder as Natsu went back to him and eventually took a brief look on it.

"So this is your Sacred Gear?" Natsu inquired.

"Seems like it..."

"It looks kinda cool.." Natsu remarked.

"Well, either way, we need to head back and tell Buchou of what happened... I kinda hate staying around here in the dark for too long." The brownette suggested in which Natsu nodded in response as they quickly grabbed their things and tried to retreat back to the academy and inform Rias of what happened.

..

..

* * *

"So another fallen angel has tried to attack you both..." Rias spoke in realization as she sat on her desk before pondering in thought after seeing the two arrived back with slight injuries despite narrowly evading the fight. Although she was proud to congratulate the two from unleashing their powers by will for the first time, she blames herself for being too careless that they would be targeted by the fallen angels so soon than she expected.

This is the second time she failed to look after the two of them, especially Issei who barely managed to call out his Sacred Gear, thanks to his brother.

With Akeno applying some healing magic unto them, everyone else have started to become more serious than they were as the matter had become an issue them now that the fallen angels knew of their plans and resurrected Issei as a devil. And not only that, their motives had become quite clear that they wanted to eliminate Issei as soon as possible now that the Sacred Gear was finally unleashed from his body.

Soon, they might involve other people who aren't involved in this fight.

They still haven't showed the two of how a devil actually fights in a real battle and a demonstration is needed to take place in order for them to adapt through situations and help them better understand the Evil Pieces that they still haven't told them about.

"Issei, Natsu... Tomorrow night, we will have to show you about how fights are operated in demon world... Since it's come to this, we need you two to experience a real battle of devils in order to get used to it... The fallen angels now knew that you were alive and will undoubtedly try to send in more of them to kill you in the process..."

"Is Issei that important to get rid of?" Natsu asked worriedly.

"You must understand, Sacred Gears are extremely powerful when used by the humans for a long time... For Issei to be able to use his Sacred Gear in a few days, the threat also arises from the fallen angels... Like I said, they won't stop until they finally eliminated the threat and I won't let that happen."

"Then what are we suppose to do?"

"For now, we have to stay low and try to avoid them as possible... ... Refrain from attracting too much attention and don't fight on a fallen angel alone... You two were lucky this time since she retreated and informed her comrades other than finishing you off."

"Right..."

"In the meantime, we have to focus on the task at hand... Getting the two of you accustomed to the supernatural battles will be considered as top priority, understood?" She looked at the two boys with a firm tone, prompting them to nod in response.

A couple of minutes later, the two eventually went home to rest as Rias simply sat on her seat and stared oddly at the door her with a deep thought. After a few seconds, she then looked back towards Akeno who had been standing right beside her for quite some time.

"Akeno... Would you mind placing a barrier around their residence? Just in case."

"Of course, Buchou."

There was a slight pause between them until Akeno started to speak again.

"Don't you think you're a little bit too hard on them?"

"They needed to learn... Even as a master, I have to remind them of their safety. I can't let anyone of my household be harmed by those accursed angels." She gritted.

"Ara, ara but what about Natsu? He isn't part of the household." She reminded.

"That is not the case, Akeno... I'm fearing for their safety." Rias scolded.

"This is the first time I'm seeing you worried about something like this."

"Well, isn't that the same to you too?" She narrowed her eyes in suspicion towards her queen.

"We both are." Akeno admitted, slightly surprising the redhead before turning her attention back to her gaze before standing up and walked over to an open window and gazed over to the clear night sky in wonder.

For some reason, Rias was beginning to feel something that is bound to happen soon although she cannot determine it. They could only hope that it will end in their favor.

* * *

 **A/N: And stop... Here's the line break here guys and the chapter finally ends. Nothing much to say in this chapter since it was needed to bridge the gap in putting up a plot device moving up to Asia's appearance and Raynare's involvement in the arc. Speaking of who, she might just as well appear in the next chapter so stay tuned.**

 **Also, I'm trying to give a bit of a rush in the pace of the story in order to get to the Riser Arc soon. After counting the volumes, there's a shitload of arcs waiting for me and I'm still in the middle of the Vampire Arc. Sucks on me, right? :/ Well, I do hope to finish it before this catches up.**

 **As always, leave a review for your opinions. If you like the story so far, give it a fav, and follow. It's common courtesy between writers and readers. I also wanted to take for your opinions in the last chapter. It was greatly appreciated.**

 **Till the next chapter, guys.**

 **\- wiErD SpeCtrumz blacking out... ... ...**


	5. Meeting a Nun

**A/N: Hello everyone, wiErD here. And I got another chapter for you.**

 **Hope ya like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own FT and DxD nor their elements. All goes to their respective writers/authors.**

* * *

 **\- Meeting a Nun -**

 _It was a long lost sensation for him. The memories of his past, forever sealed deep within the depths of his mind. Seemingly never to resurface once again... And yet, images of the ever mysterious creature continue to haunt him in his dreams as if it was calling out to him._

 _He didn't know why it was reaching out to him. He never even knew of that creature as he walked once more to the red earth in his dream._

 _Yes... The same giant fearsome creature that continue to walk endlessly into the burning world. Adorning its destructive beauty, gazing through the red sky with its snout held high before letting out a menacing growl around him that can crush his spirit in an instant._

 _That's just how fearsome it is... To be able to bring down a human like him on his knees just by looking at its provoking appearance and nature. Crimson scales are seen throughout its body, adorned with a white binge in the middle. Large scars and scaly tips are also visible in some parts of its enormous body and a pointed tail whipped furiously behind as it generated large gales even in just a simple swing._

 _It also got four huge clawed legs, stomping the earth that resulted powerful tremors in each step it takes. Huge bat-like wings are attached to its back, seemingly unused for a long time and a pair of yellow orbs are seen through its head that is so intimidating that it made hard for the pinkette look directly at it in the eye._

 _A moment of wandering through the flames, the creature stopped for a moment as he gazed towards the sky once more in wonder._

 _What happened after that simply surprised the pinkette as it began to speak in his language._

 ** _"Your powers are yet to show their potential... ... Your body is yet to recognize its potential... ... Our time of vanishing from existence has finally ended... Natsu."_**

 _A sudden moment of realization came to him as Natsu tried to reply back to the giant creature despite from afar._

 _"Who are you?! How do you know my name?"_

 _Though instead of answering him, the creature began to sprout its wings in response before flapping them and slowly ascended to the sky, leaving the pinkette with so many questions to ask for._

 ** _.._**

 ** _When everything began from fire,_**

 ** _All shall end in fire._**

 ** _As the rise of the last dragonslayer_**

 ** _shall be followed with flames on his wake._**

 ** _.._**

 _Hearing its ominous chants, Natsu was surprisingly distraught at the mention of something beyond his understanding._

 _"D-Dragonslayer? What are you talking about?!"_

 _When he tried to demand for an answer, his mind was simply engulfed yet again in flames as he returned back to the real world. The image of the beast disappeared yet again in his sight._

* * *

 ** _Back to the real world... (Hyoudou Residence.)_**

Natsu woke up again once more with a distraught expression on his face as his dream became much more frequent and clearer than it has been over the past few days. Not only that he was able to see the creature up close but was able to converse with it though he believes that it didn't talk back to him like he was expecting him to. What's even more interesting and confusing is that it left another mysterious chant that baffled him even more.

Taking a deep breath as he stared oddly into space his mind returned back to the time when he heard it spoke in his dream.

"Dragonslayer... ... What does that mean?" He trailed off in thought.

Knowing that he can't still find out more about his dream, the pinkette simply rolled away his blanket and started fixing himself before going in for a bath to refresh himself from his 'wonderful' dream. After a few minutes, he went downstairs to get his food and breakfast. At the same time, Issei came rushing down from his room with haste, seeing that he woke up late and barely even managed to prepare himself just by looking at his frantic expression.

..

..

Another couple of minutes went by and the two decided to head towards the school with blank looks on their faces.

Ever since that incident with the fallen angels yesterday, they were refrained from using their powers freely since they might get their attention once more. Staying low and guarding each other's backs is the only thing they can do at the moment and both of them still had some deliveries needed tonight although they wondered if it's going to be cancelled since Rias had told about showing them how devils fight.

That might as well be a sight to see... ... for Natsu at least.

"So what are you going to do for lunch break, Natsu?" Issei turned to his brother in question who in turn, simply pondered for a moment to think.

"I don't know... Maybe sleep on the rooftop again perhaps."

"Aren't you going to the club with the others?"

"Well, I'm not literally part of it... Plus, I'm still human so I don't do devil work like you do." Natsu stated as a matter of fact in which Issei could only groan in disappointment, seeing that the pinkette is more laid-back than he usually does since he's still a human.

"Haaah, I guess being human still have its perks too, huh?"

"You can say that... Lazing around with no one bothering or ordering you is kinda refreshing." Natsu agreed.

A sigh from Issei soon followed as they continued walking over to their usual path until they finally made into a open park. The two simply conversed with each other about other things aside from their club activities. It is a way of refreshing themselves since they had been focusing on the domain of supernatural things and not thinking about their normal lives once in a while.

However, as they were about to make their way to the other side of the park and into the sidewalks again, a frantic squeal resounded through their ears as they both looked over to a stone bench just a few meters away from them and eventually spotted a mysterious female person seemingly in distress as her luggage somehow spilled her clothing. Judging from the clothes she's wearing, Natsu and Issei could assume that she's a nun from a nearby church.

Of course, the two didn't waste any hesitation as Issei turned over to help the girl to stand while Natsu simply collected the clothes without even aware of what kind of clothes he's holding onto especially when he collected several panties and returned in back to the luggage.

If the girl came out as a very sensitive one, he would've gotten a slap just by doing it.

"Are you alright?" Issei reached out his hand to help her in which she accepted as she slowly stood up from the ground.

"T-Thank you very much-" The girl tried to express her thanks to him until a gust of wind blew her veil away, revealing her face to the two as Issei and Natsu were left stunned after seeing her features. She had a pretty long blonde hair with a strand sloped backwards above head while the rest simply cascaded down from her shoulders and just right down to her back. A pair of green emerald eyes is also seen from her which makes her kinda cute in the eyes of the two though with Natsu immediately shoving off the thought, unlike his brother.

Issei and the girl were left unmoving for quite a moment after gazing each other for a quite some time until she began to speak.

"U-Ummm..." Somehow her voice got the brownette to snap out from his trance and quickly retracted his hand away from her in embarrassment until Natsu came in towards them, carrying both the luggage and the veil that was blown away by the wind earlier.

"Here..." Natsu spoke before handing her things as the girl simply bowed in respect before them as a form of gratitude.

"T-Thank you for helping me..." She squealed.

"Ah, it's nothing... You seemed to be having trouble so we had to help out." Natsu explained.

"Y-You don't need to pay us... We're just glad to help a fellow person." Issei began to speak as well. While trying to dissuade her from repaying them from their kindness, the female simply had her fingers twirled in a playful manner as if she was trying to say something towards them but was unable to, probably due to her embarrassment.

"Ummm... ... ... I kinda... lost my way." She sheepishly replied to them with a cute smile.

"So you're lost?" Natsu asked.

"Y-Yes..."

"Are you heading to the church by any chance?" He tried to guess but the female simply smiled in delight of his question.

"Yes... I just got recently transferred here to this town's church so I'm kind of lost my way while trying to find it." She reasoned. But before Natsu could even continue, Issei immediately slung his arm around his neck and turned away from the nun momentarily as Natsu looked at his brother in confusion.

"What are you doing, Issei?" Natsu asked.

"Come on, Natsu... ... This is a one-time opportunity... She really is an ideal blonde version beauty that I've been looking for!" He whispered.

"Are you some sort of woman collector... I've never heard woman being categorized by their hair." Natsu deadpanned, knowing what his brother was trying to convey into this conversation.

"Please, give her a subject just to keep her occupied." He pleaded.

"Are you serious? We're going to be late for school. In fact, we're going to be late once we tried to guiding her to the church." Natsu protested.

"Please... ..." He tried pleading to him with puppy-dog eyes which only made the pinkette sigh in depression before turning back on the nun. With Issei cheering for him from behind, Natsu felt the need to smack his brother a couple of times since his perverted nature is way above the usual line.

.

.

.

"Sure we can take you there." Natsu changed his mind as he tried helping the girl, instead of following his brother's plea which only resulted him to silently cursing him from behind. Not he cares about it though.

Well, at least, the nun would be safe from him.

"Thank you very much..." She bowed yet again.

"Uh, we still haven't got your name by the way." As soon as Natsu said that, the female simply recomposed herself as she gazed at the two before introducing herself to them.

"My name is Asia Argento... It's nice to meet you umm-"

"Natsu Dragneel..." The pinkette spoke.

"Hyoudou Issei... It's nice to meet you too, Asia."

As the brownette tried to reach out for a handshake, he began to feel on edge as his eyes darted over to a cross strapped around Asia's neck, making him to slightly return his hand away for a moment as he tried thinking about it for a moment.

 _'That's strange... ... My body somehow reacted to it.'_ He thought inwardly as he glanced away from her on instinct which confused the nun in the process.

"Is something wrong?" She tried asking but Issei simply waved off the worry with a smile.

"I-It's alright... It's nothing."

..

..

The three simply made their way once again as the two redirected their trip away from the school for a moment and helped Asia to reach into their town's church. It wouldn't hurt to help a sister every once in a while now although Natsu had to keep his attendance pretty seriously from now on since he's been pitted with many complaints from the teachers for getting late and skipping in classes.

Wonderful isn't it?

With Natsu guiding the way and Issei and Asia following suit behind him, they eventually came across a child who was crying over something. Without warning, Asia rushed to the kid's side and took a brief look on his injury located on his left knee. It was little scrape but for the kid, it does feel painful. It soon came to a surprise for the two boys as they immediately noticed her applying some sort of a healing spell to the kid as she placed her hands over to his knee in which healed it in just a few seconds.

At the same time, Issei felt the same sensation he had after gazing to her cross earlier. Only this time, it's more powerful and his left hand began to react against it.

After a few minutes of tending to the kid, Asia bid him farewell as he returned to his parents and eventually went back to the two as well.

"I'm sorry... I just instinctively went out to help him..." She apologized.

"It's nothing to feel sorry about... Actually, it's kinda good for me to see people helping those in need." Natsu reassured.

"Really? Most people just ignore little things like this in my place." She stated.

"Is that so...? Well, people here are quite different from that... We always help each other around so don't feel sorry when you help someone out of sincerity." Asia could only exclaim in surprise at his response before smiling inwardly as she turned to look at the two of them with a faint smile.

"Thank you..."

"Even so, that's some amazing powers you got there..." Issei remarked in which caused the blonde-haired nun to gasp in surprise before explaining the reason behind the secrets of her powers.

"They are fantastic powers bestowed unto me by God..." At the first moment, she smiled at her statement before turning into a rather sentimental expression which didn't go unnoticed from the pinkette as she muttered something that only he could hear. "Yes... Fantastic.."

..

..

It didn't take long for them to travel far from the neighborhood as they eventually saw the church right out in the distance away, much to Asia's relief now that she was able to find her way towards it, thanks to the two of them.

"Ah, that's the place." She pointed her hand right over to the church in which only made the two nod in response. But before they could even proceed even further, Issei was able to feel the full effect of the church's presence in his body as his instincts instantly kicked in and prompted him to take a step back after feeling a rather ominous aura surrounding the church itself.

Natsu and Asia stopped for a moment as they noticed Issei not moving any further than a few steps behind them as if something must be hindering him to do so.

"Natsu, do you have a second? I need to talk to you." Issei soon called out, prompting the pinkette to walk back towards him and not before long Issei whispered something to him.

"I can't get any further into it?"

"What are you talking about?" Natsu asked in confusion.

"The church... I mean."

"What's wrong with visiting a chur-" It was then a sudden realization came onto him as he forgot that his brother was a devil. From what he knew so far, a church is quite a sanctuary and a place of territory for the angels and that devils like Issei cannot venture near to it since both sides are not quite friendly with each other. His expression turned dead serious as he gazed over to the church itself and not before long he turned over to Asia in slight worry.

"Is something wrong, Issei-san?" It was then Asia tried to ask in worry for the brownette since he's been quite evasive from her for quite some time.

"O-Oh, it's nothing... It's just that I got some errands to do so... I should get going right away." Issei lied for a moment before turning his attention to Natsu with a serious look. "It's up to you, Natsu... I can't really get closer to it or I'll feel uneasy all of a sudden..."

"I guess, I'll meet you later then."

"Yeah... But damn you really..."

"What?"

"You got a chance to be alone with her, knucklehead! Why is always you to have the good ones?"

"I think I'm starting to regret ever having such a perverted brother." Natsu frowned. A hostile glare soon came afterwards until Issei finally bade his farewell to the two of them as Natsu and Asia simply stood there as they watch him disappear into distance.

..

..

"Is Issei-san going to be alright?" She then turned over to the pinkette in curiosity.

"Nah, he'll be alright... He's just busy with something but that's nothing to worry about."

"What about you, Natsu-san? Do you have school or some other things to do at the moment?"

"Well, I'll have to do school later on... ... I'll drop you by near the church if that's alright." He requested.

"N-No... Not at all... I think... ... it's a good idea to have you accompany me. I'm still trying to get accustomed to this town and I don't have anyone to guide me so.." She sheepishly replied, completely embarrassed on every word she says in front of her. Normally, she would just end their conversation, seeing that she's a very shy person and could not take long conversation for too long but for some reason, she seemed to get along with the pinkette despite having to meet him for the first time.

"Is that so? Well, I'll see what I can do... Maybe invite Issei too since it would be more fun with everyone, right?" He smiled but Asia could only look at him in wonder before slowly smiling in return.

"Thank you very much, Natsu-san. I- never had friends before in my entire life and you and Issei-san were the first ones to talk to me freely without any fear." A dry laugh came from the pinkette afterwards.

"Don't worry... I'm sure you'll have tons of friends because you're kind..." He tried brightening up her spirit just to keep the gloomy atmosphere away from them for quite some time. Another faint smile crept its way unto her lips once more as she looked at the pinkette with a lighthearted expression as they made their way over to the church just a couple of meters away from them.

It didn't take long for them to eventually reach near the church as they stopped near a gate as the two turned to each other before saying their farewells to each other.

"Then, I'll see you around, Natsu-san." Asia spoke.

"Yeah."

"I-If... If you have some free time, would you mind visiting us again...?" She requested with an embarrassed face.

"Mmm... Anytime. I might as well invite Issei and my other friends here. I'm sure they will like you." He replied though unaware that his friends were actually demons and had unknowingly mentioned them out in the blue.

"T-Thank you..."

A few words were exchanged between the two as Asia walked further towards the church while looking back to the pinkette as she waved her hand in which he did the same as they expressed their farewell with each other. Slowly placing down his hand, Natsu stared oddly to the church itself where Asia had entered. He stayed right at the gate for a moment before suddenly sensing something off surrounding the church itself.

Although as a human himself, Natsu could somehow get the feeling of dread circling around the church and the smell was something rather different. It is as if the church itself was rotten and tainted by something evil or malevolent. _"_

Thinking back for a moment about Asia, Natsu wasn't sure if leading her to this place was the right thing to do. Although it was all said and done, he was slightly worried about the people who recruited Asia here in the first place.

Realizing that time on his watch, Natsu simply made haste back to his original journey and went towards the academy and sprinted away. He could only hope that his intuition is wrong for Asia might be in danger because of it.

* * *

 ** _A few hours later... (Near an abandoned building.)_**

"So how did you find this stray devil in the first place?" Natsu felt the need to ask the rest of the club members ahead of him as he felt confused of how they easily located such an enemy in a very precise location. After they were done with the class, the two went to the old school building and just came in time to see that the entire group was already preparing for some sort of a extermination that they weren't aware off.

It only came to a realization for the two as Rias told them that this mission is part of them observing how devils fight in reality. Of course, the two weren't knowledgeable of the devil's work so they're completely clueless about the existence of other creatures such as Stray demons that they've been hearing so much about in the last couple of minutes with the President.

"We received a message from Taiko... Apparently, they're the ones pinpointing their location by using magic and other sorts to located them all over the town." Akeno explained.

"What are stray devils by the way? I've been hearing a lot of them for quite some time now." Issei asked in curiosity.

"They were originally slaves of devils..." Kiba spoke in place for Akeno.

"You mean, like us?" Issei clarified.

"Yes, but they're the ones who betrayed their masters and tried to live as they please without their consent which is why they're called Stray Devils."

"We just received intelligence that a certain stray devil was luring human victims here to eat them..." A rather shocking expression went through the two boys as they felt a chill running down to their spine just by mentioning that, especially to Natsu since he was human to begin with and that he might as well be food in the eyes of the stray devil when he shows up soon.

"Bringing me here might be a bad idea now." Natsu groaned in pain.

"Ara, ara... Don't worry too much about it. We'll make sure to keep you both in harm's way. After all, this is another test for you to experience real fights in the future." Akeno reassured.

"S-Sure..."

As soon as they made their way inside, they closed the door behind them before stopping as Rias turned to look at Issei and Natsu with an expectant look.

"Issei, Natsu... Are you two familiar with the game, chess?" She asked. The two looked at each other with anxious looks before turning back on the redhead.

"Chess? You mean, the board game?"

"Yes... As master, I'm the king. Additionally, there is the queen, the knights, the rooks, the bishops and the pawns. A special devil can give special powers to her various pieces. Which means, any servant under the liege of a master will be granted with power in accordance to the pieces bestowed unto them." Rias explained.

"Special powers?" Issei tilted his head in confusion.

"We call this technique, Evil Piece."

"Evil Piece? What's that?" Natsu asked.

"You will understand it better as soon as the stray devil made its appearance to us. Now, pay attention and take a close look on how devils fight."

"Yes, Buchou!" Natsu and Issei spoke in unison.

..

..

A moment of silence befalls into their atmosphere as Koneko immediately detected the devil's presence in the area as she turned to point her finger to reveal her curent location for the group.

"It's here." All eyes soon turned over to the darkened part of the building as they slowly began to hear a strange voice emanating from the broken walls, seemingly to provoke them by its vicious tone.

"I smell something foul... ... ... Yet I smell something delicious... I can smell the flesh of a human nearby. I never expected that food would actually come to my domain willingly." After speaking in a rather spooky tone, the devil began to reveal itself to them in which caused Issei to jawdrop in surprise, seeing that the devil is actually in a form of a naked woman with her rather large breasts exposing right in front of her without the liberty of hiding it to them.

"Oppai!"

Natsu on the other hand, had a different type of reaction as he looked in disgust at the naked woman devil in front of them.

"Holy shit! Who in the right mind would actually take a form of a naked woman so freely? Have you devils know no shame?!" Natsu retorted.

"Oi! You're offending us, alright?" Issei glared back to his brother.

"I'm not referring to you!"

"Issei, Natsu..." Rias spoke in a firm tone which ended their bickering as they focused back onto the naked beast in front of them. "Stray Devil, Vice...You have abandoned your master and let your powers run rampant. You will now face judgement for your sins, in the name of the Gremory household. Prepare to be destroyed...!"

Even after her declaration, Vice never seemed to show signs of fear in her as she gazed arrogantly towards them with mockery in her voice.

"What impudent brat you are. Shall I dye all of you in red just like that hair of yours?!" She threatened and not before long she began groping her own breast in a seemingly weird way as Natsu felt the need to cover his eyes for a moment to save his virgin eyes while Issei could not help but feel aroused through her actions since he could easily depict her into some sort of slut despite being a devil.

As this was going on, Vice slowly begins to reveal her true self in front of the group as Natsu and Issei were left shocked to see her in a form of a monster with a large mouth with large canines accompanied by two large hand claws as she slowly summons two magical circles located in her nipples, protruding them straight like a cannon as it fired light beams towards them in blind speeds.

"Watch out!" The group scattered in the process as they dodged the beams, missing them as they went straight through the wall, only to melt in the process as they looked warily at its power.

"Even though it's disgusting, it's quite formidable alright." Natsu blurted out.

"Don't let your guard down." Rias advised before turning over to Kiba in which he nodded in response as he prepared his stance and disappeared into a silver blur and appeared right in front of the unsuspecting devil before releasing two instant sword strikes on its huge claws, easily cutting them in the process as Vice screamed in agony as a result.

"Amazing!" Issei exclaimed.

"Yuuto's specialty is speed... And his weapon is the sword." After doing his part, Kiba leaped back a few meters away as Koneko soon took over the fight with a blank look on her face.

"Koneko-chan, watch out!" Issei shouted out in worry as Vice started to open her big jaws underneath her body, seemingly wanting to devour the young girl wholly. Still harboring the same expression, Koneko never even moved from her position as Vice swallowed her whole, prompting the two of them to worry despite not knowing of what she's capable of.

"Don't worry. Koneko is the rook. In other words, her specialty is defense which ultimately gives her the ability to defend in almost any attacks thrown on to her." Rias reassured them and after awhile, the jaws encasing the white-haired girl inside simply broke apart as Koneko emerged from it without even trying though costing her of her clothes as they melted from the saliva inside.

"Fly away..." With a monotone voice and a one tiny yet deadly punch, Vice was simply set away through the other side of the building despite her size, shocking the two once again.

"ARE YOU SERIOUS!" For some reason, Natsu might have to rethink who is the monster between her and Vice in terms of power and might. Although he might want to have his lips sealed if he doesn't want to end up like that.

As this was going on, one of the cutted arms of Vice earlier suddenly moved and tried to pounce Rias from behind in which Issei acted out of instinct and tried to protect her.

"Buchou! Watch out...! Sacred Gear!" Calling out his power, Issei summoned his gauntlet on his left hand and punched the arm away, saving her in the process who in turn was slightly surprised at the turn of events.

..

..

As Vice struggled on her feet to stand up, her eyes soon locked towards the pinkette with hunger as she instantly recovered in the process and dashed towards him without warning, shocking the entire group who were completely unaware that she was still able to move faster than her current abilities.

"If I could just eat a human, then I can replenish my own power against you all!" Vice shouted in anger as she tried sinking her fangs towards the pinkette who in turn simply flared up in flames, reaching towards the ceiling and intensifying the temperature around him before coating his right fist in flames and connected it right through her face in which caused a massive shockwave, thus sending the devil flying yet again before taken by surprise as Natsu wasn't done with her.

"Sorry but I'm not just a defenseless human..."

 **"Fire Dragon's Roar!"** In an instant, Natsu let out a burst of flame wave from his mouth that soon roared through the building, engulfing the stray devil wholly as Rias and the others were left stunned to see his power for the first time. The flames continued to head straight towards the wall before generating an fire explosion as Natsu recovered from his position as gazed over to the ravaged area of where his flames were directed, leaving nothing but smokes and embers in the aftermath, in addition to a crippled and burnt Vice who made light convulsive movements due to the burns inflicted to her.

"That spell just now... Did you say dragon?" Rias spoke in confusion as she stared oddly at the pinkette together with the others, except Issei who had known of his powers before.

"I- uhh... well that's...I mean, it's my power. Is something wrong?" The four could only blink their eyes for a second until Rias composed herself and started to ask.

"Nothing of sorts... It's just that, I'm surprised that your magic is somehow based on dragons, seeing that you roar like one." She guessed.

"I never thought about it like that... More importantly, I just somehow knew how I could call out my spells like that." Natsu realized.

"How strange..." The redhead pondered for a moment before turning her attention towards the downed stray devil. "Well, I guess you somehow made a quick short work on this one, now that Akeno can never display her own power since you defeated it in just one attack. Either way, I'm happy now that you two were getting the hang of it."

"Ara, ara... It's such a shame that I don't have to do anything for tonight... I even wanted to play with her for a bit longer since she tried to hurt Natsu." A sudden change of her behavior soon made the two slightly curious until Rias tried to explain the last bit of her piece before turning her attention to the devil once more to pass judgement.

"Akeno is the queen. Her piece by far is the strongest of them all and regarded as invincible with powers unmatched by the rest of the pieces. Using her magic powers is also her specialty... ... and she's also a supreme sadist. Too bad we don't get to see that side of hers now that the job was done before she could perform her task."

"That's too bad... I was expecting to enjoy every bit of her suffering." She spoke seductively.

Natsu felt the need to choose his friends properly. I mean, he didn't actually expect that such a person like Akeno-senpai would love such a hobby. Oh, what a life he's having right now.

..

..

Turning her attention back to the injured devil, Rias began to summon her own magical circle to finalize her judgement.

"It's time to be extinguished, in the name of Gremory household." Without given a time to spare, Rias simply let out a large red wave which soon engulfed the devil completely before turning into nothingness as the mission was a success.

A few moments later, the redhead soon turned over to the others with a smile, seeing that they finally finished their job for the night.

"It's over now... So, let's go home."

"Yes, Buchou." Everyone nodded in response until Issei raised his hand in question.

"Umm.. Buchou... So what am I? I mean, what piece am I as a slave?" He pointed a finger to himself.

"A pawn..."

"P-Pawn... You mean-"

"That's right... You're a soldier, Issei." She smiled though without knowing that Issei had somehow felt downgraded for being since his piece is quite the expendable type and is always positioned on the front lines. Now that's something not worth talking about, especially at the fact that he's the weakest of them all in terms of magic, speed or any of the talents they possessed on their evil pieces.

Although he knew himself as a beginner devil, he didn't really expect that his status would come down to the lowest part of the ranks. He should've at least expected that in the first place. A sigh of depression went through his lips as Natsu simply placed his arm around his back for reassurance.

But just as they were about to leave, Rias remembered something important and turned once again to the brownette with anticipation.

"Issei, I have one last task for you... Koneko's contracts overlapped once again... Can I have you cover up for her... It might be very inappropriate for her to fulfill her contracts in those current clothes of hers."

"Sure... Understood.

"Also, have a signed contract this time... I have high hopes for you, Issei..." For some reason, she sounded serious for a minute there which made Issei to meekly nod in response and not before long Natsu tagged along with him as the two simply departed from the scene, carrying the symbol of the household to fulfill their last errand for the night.

..

..

* * *

As the night continued, the streets of the town were continuously lit by streetlights near the sidewalk as the Natsu and Issei trudged slowly along the path with the latter seemingly dispirited for quite some time and it was not long for the pinkette to eventually notice his brother's current expression right now until he decided to ask.

"What's wrong?"

"N-Nothing... It's just that- I'm feeling depressed about my progress as a devil... I know we had a lot of fun and stuff but I feel like I haven't made a right step in becoming stronger."

"It's hard on you, isn't it?"

"Maybe... ... Even as a devil, you can still get pressured."

"Our lives seemed more rocky than it has been before, huh?" Natsu mused.

"It seems so... Aaaah, the path of becoming a harem king sure looks far away!" He groaned in pain.

A face palm soon followed afterwards. Even so, Natsu is somehow glad that Issei is not giving up that easily. Seeing him determined to become of what he is in the future, it makes him to work harder too. Despite being beginners, he believed that they would eventually work hard in order to become stronger and protect what's important to them.

A smile went its way on Natsu as he patted Issei for reassurance.

"Don't worry... No matter what happens, I'll be right here. After all, we're brothers, aren't we?"

"Thanks, Natsu..."

"Right, now stop moping and start delivering! We gotta finish that contract soon if we wanna go home early.

..

..

Another few minutes has passed and they finally made their way towards the contract's house. The two tried knocking the door but was left surprised to find it open in the middle of the night. Normally, people would've locked their door by then to protect their privacy.

"Strange... who leaves their door open at this time of night?" Issei asked.

"Maybe the owner went out..." They tried waiting for a few more minutes, just in case the owner gets back but there seemed to be no one coming into view. Eventually, the two ran out of patience and decided to walk inside to see if the contractor was inside. The room was poorly lit and the darkness seemed to be covering the entire house except at the living room where they saw a candle light.

"Is it really okay to barge in like this?" Issei whispered.

"It's alright... It's not like we're going to steal or anyt-" Natsu had to stop in mid-sentence as his enhanced senses soon picked up something rather unpleasant as he slowly sniffed out the air until widening his eyes in realization and raised his guard up before slowly leaning over to the wall and peeked through the living room, only to be left utterly shocked to find a horrid sight before him. At the same time, Issei also saw the same thing and tried to look away as they found a body, seemingly mutilated into pieces that can make any normal human to vomit just by looking at it.

"Wha... What in the world-" Issei exclaimed though not before long he noticed another person sitting on a nearby couch, staring oddly into a candle in front of him.

"Sinners must be punished... ... I tried borrowing the words of the Bible." Showing off a crazed look on the two, the person soon stood up casually from his seat and faced the two with a laid-back attitude.

"Well, well... If it isn't a little devil... I'm surprised that you have another human along with you... Who is he? A sinner? Them sinners needed to be punished you know, like this poor little fellow right here."

"Who are you?!" Natsu demanded.

"Otto... I forgot to introduce myself... My name is Freed Sellzen. I am a boy-priest, performing devil exorcisms for mankind." He began to jolly around like a crazy man but the two never lowered their guard against him.

"Exorcist? You're a priest?" Issei spoke out in disbelief.

"Yes... Though I'm certainly not a shitty devil like you, boy."

"Are you the one who did that?!" Natsu pointed over to the dead body.

"YES, you're correct. Human contracting devils are just plain sinners so they deserve proper punishment... Killing them in a most gruesome way that is." After saying that, Natsu simply turned his expression into pure hatred as he saw how vile and unforgiving this person was despite him being a priest.

"You bastard!"

"Ooops... Don't get too started yet... But if you're really insisting to fight me then I'll just to bring my new toys...!" He then began to pull out a gun and some sort of a sword grip which then turned into a blade of light as Issei felt his body reacting to it while Natsu stood in front of him in defense.

"Tada! How's you like that? This is my super cool exorcist gun, Futsumata... This is will no doubt be harmful to devils and to human too... So why don't you two just stand there and accept my divine purification of your devilish souls."

"Don't fuck with me!" Before Freed could even slash them, Natsu backhanded him with a flaming fist as his sword collided with it until they both break away a few meters as Natsu began to call out his flames once more.

"Sacred Gear!" Issei summoned his gauntlet as he began to face the psychopathic priest with anger.

"Ooooooh! Sacred Gear? Not that's something... Two sinners with two interesting powers? Double the fun..." Freed laughed hysterically.

"I can't believe someone like him would be affiliated with the Church." Natsu hissed.

"Either way, we can't let him get away with this... There just some things that are not acceptable even to us..."

But before they could even clash yet again, a shriek came from the door as both Natsu and Issei recognized its voice and could only widen their eyes in disbelief after seeing the person came into room and saw the body that was killed by Freed. Her focus on body soon stopped as she began to notice them who soon made a loud gasp after seeing them here.

"N-Natsu-san..? Issei-san?"

"Asia..."

* * *

 **A/N: And stop... Chapter 4 is done and the cliffhanger is here alright... Don't worry, I'll try to post the next chapter as soon as possible. Also, just a reminder about my frequent updates, I'm just able to do this because of the weekends. When weekdays strikes, I can't display the same speed of updates on this story very much often so keep in mind.**

 **Nothing much else to say here again aside from Asia's appearance and probably the middle of the climax. I was hoping to end the arc by three more chapters before we can move to Riser Arc so stay tuned.**

 **As always, leave a comment for your opinions and if you happen to like the story so far despite its early stages, give it a fav or follow. It's common courtesy.**

 **That's all for now and we'll see each other on the next chapter. :)**

 **\- wiErD SpeCtrumz blacking out... ... ...**


	6. A Friend Worth Saving

**A/N: Greetings everyone, wiErD here. And I got another chapter for you in this crossover.**

 **Hope ya like it. :)**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own FT and DxD nor their elements... All goes to their respective authors.**

* * *

 **\- A Friend Worth Saving -**

Natsu and Issei stood shockingly in disbelief as they saw Asia with the priest. More importantly, they were shocked to see her affiliated to such a person. It was not the best reunion between the three of them as Asia had seemingly found out that the two of them were working with the devils. Both of them could only stare at each other in disbelief after seeing each other once again in this unprecedented situation.

"Natsu-san... Issei-san..."

"A-Asia..."

"What's this? You three knew each other...? Too bad, Asia-chan... We can't allow these boys to live because they're devils. Or more importantly, they're working with them." Freed spoke out in disgust before turning his expression into a wicked smile.

"W-Working with them?"

"That's riiiight!" It was then, Natsu tried to reason for them doing so.

"Asia! It's not what you think! We never did any bad things to you, to everyone else!"

"STOP right there, sinner! Even though you're a human, your heart is tainted with the devil. Don't let him deceive you, Asia-chan." Freed tried to dissuade their claims.

"Look, We're sorry for not telling you before... We just couldn't tell right away because you're different from us... That's why I didn't want to see you again... I know that it would be better that way and yet-" Issei gritted his teeth in frustration which caught her attention until Freed, decided to break up the so-called touching atmosphere between them and pointed the light sword towards them without hesitation.

"No can do now, Asia-chan... They're the real enemies... The enemies of God. And we, exorcists have but one goal. Too eradicate all shitty devils like them from mankind!"

"You're really pissing me off, you crazy bastard!" Natsu flared up in flames and not before long Freed had to take a step back further as the flames spread around the house and started to catch things on fire, much to the others' dismay.

"Hoh, you got some pretty interesting power, you got there... " Freed paused before looking back at Asia one more time. "Come on, your enemy is right in the clear. What are you waiting for? Let's kill these sinners with love and revert them back to God."

Issei could not help but feel worried as he felt that Asia was forced to act against her will. If she directs her hostility towards them, then it would be very bad for the two of them, seeing that they have to fight against her if she ever listens to that madman. Gritting his teeth in frustration, Issei suddenly went ahead of Natsu before raising both of his hands sideways to protect the pinkette before shifting his gaze over to Asia.

"Asia! Do you really believe that we would deceive you? Do you think that we tried to deceive you when we helped you on the way back?" Issei reasoned.

"Issei-san..."

"We're your friends, remember? I know it's not the right place to say but still we never did anything to hurt you until now... ..." Natsu added. But before Asia could even speak, Freed simply interrupted her and tried to reason yet again.

"I'm sorry to say, Asia-chan but a human and a devil cannot live together... Because after all, we can't live without the permission of a fallen angel..." Hearing that statement soon shocked the two as they glanced over to Freed warily.

"Fallen angel?"

"What is he talking about?! Asia, what does he mean by that?!" Natsu demanded.

However, Asia was just as rattled over to the situation since it was hard for her think for a moment but Natsu was beginning to put the pieces together. The sensation he felt back at the church and Asia's transfer to that church. It just recently came to his mind that the church in their town was already abandoned a few years ago. If Freed had said something about fallen angels then there's no doubt that they had taken refuge over to that church as well.

Though he was still confused about why Asia was transferred in such a place, Natsu never wasted any time to reach out his hand to her before trying to speak.

"Asia... Come with us! We can protect you. These people you were working with... They're not the good ones."

"N-Natsu-san?" Asia stammered in surprise.

"I don't understand why you were working with them but I know there's good reason behind it... So, come with us! I cannot leave you to the likes of him!"

"Hoh, big words coming from a shitty sinner like you with a shitty devil...! Why don't you all just die?!" Freed tried to lunge himself yet again towards the two, shocking the nun as the two tried to prepare themselves for a fight until a magic circle appeared before the two, shocking both sides as Freed had to raise his light sword after being parried by an unknown figure who came through the circle.

It didn't take long for them to recognize the person after noticing the hair at first glance.

"Kiba?!"

"Natsu-kun, Issei-kun... We've come to rescue you." Kiba turned his attention towards them before looking back to the priest with determination. It was then another person appeared to the magic circle as Akeno and Koneko eventually revealed themselves on the scene before commenting to the situation.

"Ara, ara... What a problem we have here."

"Exorcist..."

A huge wave of relief went through the two as they just saved just in time by their friends. On the other hand, Freed took a step back away from the Gremory knight before putting up another psychotic smiled after seeing a bunch of devil all at once.

"Yeeehaw! So the entire devil organization has finally arrived... My blood is boiling just from see you all... Welcome!"

"I never thought I'd hear a priest speak with such a vile tongue..." Kiba glowered in anger towards him.

"Hoh, is that a death glare... I like it... I LIKE IT! So many shitty top class devils... I wonder how much I would get just by cutting all of you down! I'm so excited that I could die from happiness-"

"Then let me give you a happy death..." Another voice came from the portal as a crimson wave blasted towards Freed, narrowly missing its mark as the priest used his light sword to block the wave and sank his body down to avoid it before hitting the wall which easily destroyed it in the process as Rias came into the portal with the same expression as her other servants after seeing that the two attacked by a rogue priest.

"It seems like you had your fun with my cute little slave... rogue exorcist."

"Buchou!" Issei and Natsu stared in surprise.

"And a new one arrives on the scene. Are you their leader!"

"And what of it?"

"Nothing... It's just adds to the fun now that the final boss is here... I'm tingling with excitement!" Freed laughed hysterically which made the others to note upon his eccentricity and crazy behavior.

"How disgusting..." Akeno hissed.

"He's quite an oddity alright." Kiba mused with mockery on his voice.

On the other hand, Rias turned over to the two in worry, seeing that they had been forced to fight once again. Reaching out a hand to the two, she looked at them with a apologetic look.

"I'm sorry, you two... I've never expected that there would a rogue exorcist in the area... There was a barrier set up around it so I didn't notice earlier..." She paused yet again and turned her attention towards the priest.

"... I'll never forgive anyone who tries to hurt my servants, especially from a vulgar scum like you." She gave off an intimidating glare towards him but he simply accepted it with open arms instead of being provoked by it. Soon afterwards, Rias began to pour out her crimson aura, signifying her own power against Freed who eventually took the situation seriously and took a step back in caution.

"Oops... Isn't that a little bit to extreme now?"

"You were asking for it..." But before they could even eliminate him, Koneko began to sense another presence appearing towards the house as she looked warily towards the redhead.

"Fallen angel approaching..." Her assumptions were made true as a portal soon began to open up from above the ceiling as Freed turned cheerful at the appearance of their masters to assist them on the scene.

"Haha! Well, good timing it is... Now all of you will be punished by the fallen angel!" Freed shouted in defiance.

It was then Akeno turned over to Rias for orders.

"Buchou?"

"Recovering Natsu and Issei is our top priority right now. Akeno prepare for the jump... We're pulling out."

"Understood." As she said that, she outstretched her hands in front of her as a magic circle appeared right beneath them as Natsu looked back in surprise towards them before looking back at Asia.

"Buchou! Let's take her with us... She's not right to be left alone with those fallen angels." Natsu tried to propose but Rias simply shot him down before replying.

"I'm sorry but only those of my clan are able to jump through this magic circle... I've placed a Gremory seal on your hand just in case you needed to escape from situation like this."

"But still-" He gritted in frustration as he looked back onto Asia with great worry. Worried that she might get punished by these fallen angels for helping them in some way.

"There's got to be another way, Buchou! She's a friend... At least, let's take her with us somewhere safe!" Issei tried to help but the magic circle started to initiate its jump as the group began to disappear from the room with the two completely distraught that they're leaving with taking Asia with them. Although it may seemed to be the best option to survive, leaving her alone there is also wrong. And it only pains them to see that they're abandoning her after befriending her.

"Take us back to the club..." Rias ordered.

But before they could even depart, Natsu suddenly jumped away from the circle as his face shadowed his expression before walking his way towards Asia.

"Gremory clan, my ass... How can I call myself a friend if I just stand around and do nothing while she suffers from those people..." He muttered before lifting his left hand where the symbol of the clan was located and burned it away with his magic, shocking the whole group.

"Natsu! What are you doing?!"

..

..

"A person can never call himself a friend if he just pretended not to see that his other friends are suffering and needed help! That's not what I intended to do!" Shouting his determination, Natsu burst into flames, stronger than it was before as both sides shielded their eyes from the force as the flames caught everything on fire except for Asia and the group. Freed had to cut a part of his sleeves as the flames caught with it and stared surprisingly at the burning pinkette with anticipation.

"What the-" He tried to speak was stopped as Natsu instantly appeared before him in blinding speeds that even Akeno had a hard time processing of what happened as the pinkette butted his head towards Freed with pure anger.

"Hey you..."

"Eh?"

"Fly away!" Coating his right fist in flames, Natsu punched the priest right towards the face which soon sends him away before crashing over to the wall, generating an explosion as the house was torn in half at the destruction as Natsu was able to knock out Freed, seeing his body unconscious on the streets with rubble and debris falling out in place. Rias and the others were stunned at the sudden shift of his power as Natsu easily defeated a rogue exorcist in just one punch. Even Asia was surprised as well, seeing his power for the first time.

However, there moment of victory was cut short as four fallen angels appeared right from the portal and it didn't take long for Issei to finally recognize the person in front of them and could only stutter in disbelief.

"Y-Yuuma-chan?!" The other fallen angels were from the same who attacked the two on different occasions though the other last one was completely new to them, seeing that she never made her appearance to them like the other two.

"It's been awhile... Issei-kun..."

"Fallen Angels... Raynare." Rias gazed in caution.

"Hoh, what a wonderful sight... To think that devils and fallen angels would clash at such an early time... It seems like you stumbled onto our precious nun though it seemed like the priest failed to protect her in the end... That's a pity." Raynare spoke before turning her attention towards Natsu and Asia.

"I'm glad you're still alive, Natsu-kun." She cheerfully smiled.

"Raynare! Is this your doing?!"

"There's little time to talk who's ordering who... So I'll just make this simple, give us back Asia and we'll walk away nicely." She proposed but Natsu simply raised his hand before Asia, not wanting to hand her over to her that easily.

"I won't let you hurt Asia!" He growled.

"Hoh, is that a threat? I think you need to consider thinking about your decision... Natsu-kun. After all, you don't want anyone to get hurt tonight now, do you?"

"On the other hand, Rias turned her attention towards the pinkette with worry as the jump circle had began to initiate, giving them a split-decision to either leave Natsu or stay and fight back.

"Natsu! Get out of there now!" Rias spoke.

"Planning to." Without warning, he grabbed Asia bridal-style and started to sprint away from the destroyed house in which the fallen angels followed suit. The situation is turning for the worse and she needed to take action in order to avoid one of her club members from getting hurt.

"Akeno... Go ahead and accompany Natsu on their escape... If anything happens, you have the permission to use any means necessary to dismantle them. Make sure to get back to the club then we'll talk our situation there." She ordered the black-haired girl who only nodded in response before sprouting out her devil wings to catch up to the fleeing pinkette.

"Understood..."

With two of the her members engaging on a group of fallen angels, Rias had no choice but to withdraw as well in order to get the others out on the crossfire and could only hope that Natsu and Akeno would managed to get back to the old building in one piece. Looking back to the distraught Issei, she rested a hand on his cheek before reassuring him of the situation.

"Don't worry... Akeno will surely protect them both..."

..

..

..

Natsu sprinted fast along the sidewalks as he continues to hold Asia in his arms before jumping high in the air and started running from the roofs in order to get away from the fallen angels as far as possible. He can never jump together with them in the magic circle now that he burned off his crest of their symbol which only made him like Asia.

The blonde-haired nun simply held tightly unto his arms as Natsu held her close protectively as they tried taking a corner to divert their attention away from them.

"I-I'm sorry... Natsu-san for dragging you into this..."

"It's fine... I just can't help myself letting the others suffer because I can't afford to... I promise I'll protect you, Asia! I'll save you from those fallen angels."

"T-Thank you-" Before she could even continue, a blade of light was struck beside them, causing an explosion as Natsu and Asia stumbled unto the ground with the former failing to hold onto the latter as they both landed roughly to the pavement. Natsu instantly stood up and sprinted over to the injured nun, ignoring his injuries. It was not long until multiple black feathers fell from the sky as he looked warily above before flaring himself in flames as Raynare and the other three surrounded him before descending down to the ground, blocking him in all direction.

"There's no running away this time, Natsu-kun." Raynare spoke.

"Who said I'm running away last time?" He rebutted.

"So this is the human whom you're talking about..." Dohnaseek pondered.

"He seemed pretty harmless to me."

"Don't let our guard down, Mittelt. His powers are far stronger than what I expected from the other boy and it is unknown to us yet..." Kalawarner warned.

"Either way, you're surrounded, Natsu-kun... I doubt your friends would come save you now since you disobeyed your master, thus becoming a stray devil." Raynare spoke.

"Heh, I never really sided with them... Nor I would side with anyone else. I fight on what I believe is right and saving Asia from the likes of you is one of them." Natsu stood defiantly before clasping both his hands ablaze as the four were left stunned at the power he's displaying right now.

"So this is the power you were talking about, Raynare."

"It seems formidable so be careful..." She warned.

"Don't worry... It'll be over soon." Kalawarner reassured before summoning her spear of light together with the others as Natsu stood in front of Asia who on the other hand was worrying for his safety.

"N-Natsu-san... ... That's enough. Please run away as possible." She pleaded.

"Sorry, Asia but I can't do that... I won't leave a friend behind." He smiled in determination as he turned his attention towards the four fallen angels surrounding him before closing his eyes for a moment to concentrate. A few seconds of focusing his magical power, Natsu finally opened his eyes to them, replacing his black onyx orbs into deep crimson ones as a whirl of hellfire erupted around the two, encasing them inside as Raynare and the others took a step back due to its intense heat with surprised looks.

Asia was also surprised as well, seeing that the flames never burned her completely, seeing that she never felt anything hot despite being close to it. Instead, she felt a warm feeling as the flames protected her from the fallen angels until Natsu reverted back his flames and dashed straight towards Dohnaseek in sudden speeds.

 **"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"** Punching him with his flaming fist, Natsu sent the man away before redirecting his direction towards Kalawarner with determination. Briefly inhaling air into his lungs, Natsu gave one last glance to the woman as rubble floated around him.

 **"Fire Dragon's Roar!"** Moments later, a huge flame wave made its way to her in which she tried to dodge as it went upwards before resulting a massive explosion, much to her dismay.

"He seems far different from what he was before... He's gotten far dangerous for us to handle." She warned before throwing a spear of light towards him in which he easily deflected in his bare hands.

"I-Impossible-" She wasn't given the time to react as Natsu charged relentlessly before grabbing her face as flames whirled around it.

 **"Fire Dragon's Wing Attack!"** Forcefully flinging her away, Natsu sent her crashing down to the ground as Raynare and Mittelt came from behind with their own respective spears of lights and thrusted it towards him but Natsu reacted faster and instantly charged up his roar once more and opened wide before releasing another flame wave towards them.

 **"Fire Dragon's Roar!"** The two fallen angels were left surprised as the flames simply burned their spears of light and engulfed them wholly before falling down to the ground with burns on their body.

The pinkette returned back to the ground, having heavy pants as his body was already at its limit, seeing that he used a lot of spells simultaneously. His body is still not yet trained to last long in a fight with groups since he was still unlocking his power. Flames dissipated around him and he knelt in exhaustion as Asia rushed to his side while the other fallen angels slowly recovered from their injuries and turned their attention to the pinkette with caution.

"Natsu!" Asia called out in worry.

"I'm running out of power... Damn, I still have many ways to go." Natsu hissed.

"Hmph, it looks like you've finally ran out of magic... You had your share of rampaging against us and it's time we return the favor." Dohnaseek smirked as they summoned their spears once again.

But before they could even kill him, A large array of lightning strikes blasted in front of them, causing them to fly back as a massive smoke kicked up obscuring the two until it finally settled as Akeno came descending down from the skies with lighting sparking from her hands as she looked at the fallen angels in hostility.

"Anyone who makes an enemy of him is my enemy!" She declared as she landed right beside the two as Asia looked at her in uncertainty after seeing her tremendous power in front of the fallen angels.

"Tsk... It's their queen... And a formidable one..." Kalawarner warned.

"What are we going to do?" Mittlet asked her black-haired companion who took a moment to scan the pinkette before turning her attention to them.

"Change of plans... Forget the nun. We have a more important asset to take than stealing her Sacred Gear... Let's fall back for now." She ordered in which everyone nodded as they all created a portal to escape as Raynare took one last glance towards Natsu.

"Enjoy your victory for now... In time, I'll be the one who will claim that power." She declared before disappearing in sight together with her companions, thus ending the fight with Natsu breathing a sigh of relief until his body immediately gave up and lost its strength, ultimately falling down to the ground in exhaustion as the two girls turned to him in great worry.

"Natsu-san!" Asia cried out in worry.

"He's experiencing a huge fatigue... It's probably because he was pushing his body to its limits." She tried applying some healing spell to him.

"L-Let me help!" Asia soon joined in and placed her hands above his head as a green glow appeared from her rings as Akeno widened her eyes in surprise to see another Sacred Gear from a human.

"Sacred Gear?!"

"Twilight Healing... It's been bestowed to me ever since I was a child and have been healing the sick. I can help Natsu-san to recover with this so please, let me help..." She tried insisting as tears went over to her eyes, feeling worried about the pinkette's well-being. At first, she hesitated for a moment until she finally let her to help him to recover as they both applied their magics to Natsu.

After a few minutes of healing him, he was finally able to breathe normally, seeing his condition slowly returning back to normal, much to their relief.

"That'll do for now...Thank you for your help... Ms-"

"A-Asia Argento... I-I apologize for causing too much trouble to you all... If we weren't in the area then none of this would happen."

"Don't blame yourself, Asia-chan... Natsu and Issei also happens to be on that area and it's our fault for not informing them of a rogue exorcist nearby." Akeno dissuaded her apology.

"U-Ummm... I-Is it true that you were uhh-" She tried asking until Akeno finished her statement.

"Devils? Yes... But I guess, we should talk more about this at the old building... Come, we can discuss the situation with the others and it's not safe to let Natsu stay in the open in his current condition." Asia could only nod at the black-haired girl's suggestion as they started their way back to the school.

* * *

 _ **A few hours later... (Nighttime.)(Inside the old school building...)**_

The two separate groups have finally reunited though Natsu was still in the middle of recovering as his body was immensely pushed to its current limits and the extensive use of his mysterious powers have jaded him greatly, resulting a huge fatigue. Issei was worried after seeing his brother in such as a condition but luckily, Asia and Akeno managed to stabilize his condition as he needed a lot of rest from it.

Koneko soon carried Natsu to the other room to recover, leaving the rest of the group in the couch as Asia sat meekly on one couch while trying not to gaze to Rias since she was in the territory of the devils, her enemy that is. Although the uncertainty was present, Rias and the others simply loosened their atmosphere as they began to ask the shy nun.

"Your name is Asia Argento, right?"

"Y-Yes..."

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, I guess... It's not the same hospitality I got from the Church but I'm grateful to it nonetheless." She reasoned.

"I see... I'm glad... I wanted to apologize for causing too much trouble to your kind earlier... We never expected the fight to escalate that way."

"N-No... it's fine... It was them who started so..." She trailed off in thought.

"Either way, I'm glad that all of you made it back safe and sound... I'm sorry that it might seem to be overwhelming to you for talking face to face with a devil like us but rest assured, we don't mean no harm... I'm sure you know that by now after seeing Issei and Natsu, right?"

"Umm... I-Is it true that Issei-san and Natsu-san are devils?" Asia tried to ask.

"Issei is resurrected as a devil. Natsu on the other hand is still human but he decided to join alongside with us for his brother's sake."

"I see..."

..

..

"Asia... can I ask you something?"

"Y-Yes." Said person jolted into attention as Rias looked at her with a serious expression.

"How did you get affiliated with the fallen angels? I thought the Church has exorcists present in the area but I never expected a rogue one... Can you tell us what happened?" As she said that, Asia's expression turned solemn as she slowly retreated her figure for a moment before telling them her side of the story.

"I was excommunicated from the Church." A collective forms of gasp went over to the group though Issei was the only one unaware of the situation.

"Excommunicated?" He then proceeds to ask.

"Yes, when the members of the Church were viewed by the higher-ups as a threat to their faith. They banish them, stripping away their status and branded as a heretic. There are various things of how a member would be excommunicated but all in all, they did so by provoking the Heaven system and faith and thus, regarded as a threat." Rias explained.

"Then Asia did something that would damage that system?" Issei assumed.

"I think so... I wouldn't delve further to that topic for the sake of her own privacy and reasons so we'll leave at that."

"After I was excommunicated, I got no other place to go so I was transferred here in this town and work as an underling to the fallen angels but I never seen how they work so it's all a bit overwhelming for me." She quivered on her voice as Issei looked at her in worry.

"But even so, you are now a target to the fallen angels and going back to them will only result death, you know." Rias warned. Asia let out a dispirited frown as she looked down on her knees, unsure of what to do. It was then, Rias smiled inwardly as a thought went inside her head for a moment and began to speak once more.

"... Asia, would you like to join my peerage?"

"Eh?" Not only Asia was surprised but the whole group as well as they all gaped in surprise towards the redhead from her sudden proposal to her.

"B-Buchou, are you referring to-" Issei asked doubtfully until Rias complete her statement.

"That's right... I'm offering you a place in my peerage in which you will resurrected as a devil."

"R-Resurrected as a devil?" Asia never even heard of human being reincarnated as a devil. Is this some kind of new system for the devil world? She didn't know.

"I know it's a complicated matter but I'm not forcing you into this... It's just a suggestion to benefit your position as of now. With the fallen angels right on our backs, there's no doubt that they will try to kill without a second thought. On the other hand, if you join our side, we'll be able to protect you. If you want to remain a human, then it is fine, we'll find a suitable place for you to seek refuge from them and protect you until this matter is resolved..."

Asia was still uncertain about the choices she should make right now since it will forever change her life once she decided upon this.

"U-Ummm... I still don't know what to do..." She admitted.

"I see... Take your time, Asia... ... In the meantime, you'll be under the protection of this household so don't worry anymore... You can still choose a decision even after resolving this situation... So give it a thought to decide." Rias smiled.

"Y-Yes..."

"Well, now that settles it, we should head back to our homes soon. We have a big day tomorrow and we need to formulate a plan to fight these fallen angels and drive them out of town..." She paused before shifting her gaze to Asia once again.

"I suppose you don't have a place to stay, right?" A sheepish nod came from the excommunicated nun afterwards.

"... It's alright... You'll be staying with Issei and Natsu's residence for the time being." She smiled, unaware of the gapes from the brownette as he simply fell from his seat as if something hit him right in the head.

"Eh? EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! ! ! ! !"

* * *

 **A/N: Sup guys. Here's the chapter 5 for you... Well, this is the part where I would change the canon differently of how it would end, Asia is rescued and been temporarily granted protection from the Gremory and Raynare changing her plans in obtaining power. The next two chapters would be the last for this arc so stay tuned.**

 **As always, leave a reply on the reviews and tell me what you think. :)**

 **Thanks for the wonderful reviews, it's a great motivation for me to keep writing this.**

 **Until the next chapter ,(^^)/**

 **\- wiErD SpeCtrumz blacking out... ... ...**


	7. Taken

**A/N: Sup guys. wiErD here and might I remind you guys that this will not update continuously as it has been in the past few days because I got lucky to have my freetime on weekends. And thanks to the meeting with the professors, I got a lot of time writing this in one go so here you go. I was hoping to get this by the end of the arc but let's see how this will turn out.**

 **Hope ya like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own FT and HSDxD respectively. All goes to their respective owners/authors of these wonderful stories.**

* * *

 **\- Taken -**

It was already midnight and the three had finally made their way towards their home as Asia stared oddly at the residence in curiosity as if this was the first time she's seeing another person's house since she's been living her life in the church until her untimely excommunication for committing a grave sin. If not for Natsu and the others, she would still be in the hands of the fallen angels, doing their ill acts towards other people.

Right now, she would take refuge inside the two's house in order to be secured from the fallen angels. Although, she was glad to have accepted the proposal, she still haven't sank all the things she needed process inside her mind.

Issei being a devil, Natsu being a human yet still working with the devil and their friends are all devils! What's even more strange is that they're different from what the church or the people view the devils are. They act like much normal humans despite their statuses and it surprised her to no end, seeing that there are devils who are not as evil as they should be.

..

..

After a long explanation of excuses to their parents, Asia was given the chance to stay at their house for the time being. Aside from the situation, they seemed to accept her freely since she was a beautiful girl to begin with and their parents would gladly accept anything beautiful if given the chance to explain.

And since she came here for help, they might as well accept her and give as much comfort they could offer for her temporary stay. Another few minutes of introducing each other, Natsu and other two simply went upstairs with Issei leading Asia to her room while he, on the other hand held onto the luggage before settling it down inside her room and turned towards the blonde-haired girl.

"Well, here's your luggage. If you need any help, you can ask either me or Issei..." Natsu offered.

"T-Thank you very much, Natsu-san."

"Don't sweat it... Then I'll be heading back to my room... Although it's temporary, I hope we get along with each other.

"Same here." Asia bowed in respect until the pinkette lifted his head and glanced back to his room and finally closed it. Today has been more hectic and he had fallen unconscious for the first time which means that he probably used his body to its limits. But something tells him that his body was starting to change in every moment he unleashed his power.

Turning himself over to a mirror on his table, Natsu tried to take a good look on himself. Ever since the appearance of these devils and supernatural things, he never got the time to reflect himself every once in the awhile and this is the very first time he had used a mirror in a long time. Judging from the looks, his eyes got even more sharper, seeing that his orbs are turning quite predatory, seemingly to enhance his eyesight. And not only that, he was left in a confounded surprise to find that he got multiple canines growing from the back of his teeth.

It is as if he was turning into some sort of a monster.

Great... Not only his life gets weirder but his body also gets the same condition. Slowly putting down the mirror, Natsu crashed into his bed and faced the dark ceiling with a troubled expression.

Silence seemed to overcome the atmosphere as the night progresses to the morning. The pinkette stayed widely awake during those times and have been getting a lot of things inside his mind. The devils, fallen angels, church, exorcist, all of it. As it drags on, it keeps confusing him in many different ways. He always wondered about how he came to be before he was raised here.

The longing feeling of finding about his past is becoming more clear as his memories have started to remember bits of it. Although, he can't be sure about it, he believed that there's a reason of why he can't remember all of it. Something must be preventing him to do so. He wanted to find out who and why.

His train of thought was soon interrupted as a knock came from his door, prompting him to lift his head towards it before standing up and opened it, only to reveal Asia wanting to see him.

"Asia? Why are you still awake?"

"C-Can I talk to you a bit, Natsu-san...?" She meekly asked in which confused him for a moment before slowly moving aside to let her pass through the room and finally closed the door behind them.

The blonde-haired girl simply wandered for a moment to take a brief look on his room with curiosity as Natsu remained standing at the door for a couple of seconds, watching her from afar. It was then, she glanced to him with a slightly flustered face.

"I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to... umm... look at your room..." She spoke doubtfully.

"It's fine... I'm sure, it's your first time entering into a different person's room..." He guessed before making his way over to a chair to sit as Asia settled over to his bed, unsure of what to say first to him.

"... So what do you want to talk about?"

"I-I wanted to thank you for everything so far... ... You protected me, fought for me and cared for my well-being... I-It's my first time a person would actually go such lengths to help a person like me." She solemnly explained as her face immediately turned somber for some reason in which he noticed.

"Ah, about that? It's fine really... No need to thank me, Asia... I did what I could to save a friend... After all, our friendship at our first meeting was no joke... Issei and I really wanted to be friends with you even though you're on a different side." There was a reassuring tone on his voice in which Asia lowered her head in embarrassment before trying to ask him another topic.

"Is it true that you're still a human?" She asked curiously.

"Well, yeah..."

"Why didn't you become a devil like Issei-san... I-I mean, you two are brothers."

"Well technically, we're brothers but he's not real brother... I was just adopted by his parents when I was a kid." He revealed. Asia could only come up with a gasp as she looked at the pinkette who then turned his attention towards the window and gazed to the night sky.

"... I never knew my parents nor I do have memories of them for a long time. Mom and Dad just found me at the door covered in wounds and been abandoned. The only thing that reminded me of my past was the name I got and this scarf that I had with in my entire life. I tried searching for answers of why was I left there on the outside, with nothing to remember. I wanted to ask about why they left me here."

"Natsu-san..."

"... But you know, it's thanks to them that I'm able to meet people like mom and dad who took me in even though I was alone. I'm also thankful to have Issei as my brother since he had helped me open up to others at that time..." He paused.

"...I'm not saying that I like being abandoned and all. I just felt happy to be under these circumstances of meeting great people like them, even to you." A small smile crept its way unto his lips as he somehow attained a peace of mind. Just by remembering all the good things his new family had done for him makes him feel a lot better. Asia could only observe him for a moment and was quite envious to see him freely expressing his thoughts.

She was quite the opposite as she had trouble on expressing her thoughts to everyone and had been left to say nothing on every matter she was involved with. Living under the opinions of others simply made her shy to even respond to others clearly.

The two were silent for a moment as the noise of the winds blew inside, giving both of them a chill though the pinkette could barely feel anything colder because of his power.

"You know, it might be better if you would stay with us." A sudden suggestion came from Natsu as he looked at the blonde-haired girl in anticipation.

"Eh?"

"Well, I didn't mean to suggest it right away. I'm just saying that it would be fun if you become part of our family..." A sheepish reply came to the pinkette, stifling a dry laugh while looking away at her gaze.

"F-Family?" She stuttered.

"Is something wrong?" Natsu asked worriedly.

Of course, the nun was just surprised since a suggestion like that never crossed her mind. She never really expected herself to live and become part of someone else's family since she too, never experienced it-

It was then a distant memory came back to her as she simply made a sad smile after remembering it. Looking straight at his black onyx eyes, Asia felt rather safe in revealing her own past to him, seeing that they are somehow related.

"You know, right after I was born, my parents abandoned me in front of a small church in Europe and someone found me crying there in front of the door..." She made a bitter smile as her gaze continued to dart through the cold floor. Natsu could feel the pain voicing out as she speaks more about her past...

"... Then when I was eight, I received this power from God and had been able to heal those people who are in need... Though after that, I was taken away from my home and been sent to another huge church where I would cure the sick from all over the world with my prayers... I was so happy at that time because I was able to help people." She smiled warmly after gazing back to the pinkette in relief.

"I see... I guess, you were loved by many." Natsu returned his own smile to her in which she nodded before continuing.

"But all of that changed after what I did on that night... ... One day, I met an injured boy but unfortunately, he was someone that I shouldn't have healed."

"What do you mean, shouldn't?" Asia hesitated for a moment before finally deciding to share it to him.

"That boy... was a devil." Natsu could only widen his eyes in surprise after hearing her reply. "To us, members of the church, healing a devil is considered a heresy."

"T-Then, the reason why you were banished is because-"

"Yes, I healed him... But it was out of sincerity. Devil or not, I just can't help anyone dying right in front of me when they needed my help the most. However, when everyone knew of what I had done, they shunned me and banished me from my home and had been running away since." She admitted until silence took over the room as Natsu wasn't able to respond to anything that he can come up with to comfort her.

..

..

It was then, Asia turned to look at him once again in the eye.

"Do you think that healing him was a bad decision?"

"I can't say that healing him was either good or bad... you know." He spoke. The blonde-haired girl could only frown in thought but not before long, Natsu continued.

"... But when you feel that what you've done so far was your desire to help people, then helping that boy is no different from the ones you helped in the past... Demon or not, what matters most is your heart... Our feelings are the ones that gives us the right decisions... Follow it and your actions will justify the good within it." He smiled towards her in content as a small tear came out from her eyes, slowly streaking down to her cheek as she looked at the pinkette in wonder.

..

..

Of course, Natsu wasn't expecting the girl to cry so instead, he panicked for real. He never expected that she would cry from his reply... He didn't say anything weird now, right?

"A-Ah... S-Sorry! I'm sorry-"

"N-No, it's alright... It's just that- there's never been anyone who would say something like that... ... I-I was so happy."

"T-Then, I didn't make you cry?" He literally asked. Asia shook her head sideways as she tried to wipe her tears away with her hand, much to his relief. For a second there, he must've done something wrong to make her cry like that.

Girls are so hard to read...

"Are you feeling better now?"

"Y-Yes... Thank you, Natsu-san."

"No problem... ... Whatever happens, we'll protect you...alright?" He reassured her.

"Okay..."

After a few more minutes, the two had finally finished their conversation as Asia stood once again in front of his door with Natsu standing on the other side.

"Thank you for everything, Natsu-san... I'll surely treasure this moment inside my heart." She bowed before him in which he simply scratched his head sheepishly.

"Don't worry about it... I'm glad I could help."

"Then, good night to you, Natsu-san."

"Sure... Good night, Asia..." And with that, she finally returned to her room and Natsu felt that she would be more better to handle herself from now on. As long as she had friends right by her side, then there's nothing for her to worry about.

After a moment, he returned to his room and decided to sleep.

* * *

 _ **The next day...**_

It was already Saturday and the day is as still as bright as ever since the sun had been shining way too much to the world and the heat was becoming quite unbearable at this time of the day as Natsu, Issei and Asia walked along the sidewalks with latter wearing her dark teal nun clothing though without the use of her veil to cover her from the heat.

Ever since Asia had stayed over to their house for the time being, their parents were all on about providing her with all the things she needed to live normally. Unfortunately for Asia, she left her luggage back on the abandoned church where most of her clothes are and had been forced to wear the same clothing for today. Of course, Natsu and Issei's parents were not gonna let this things slide off that easily.

Without giving them the time to explain for themselves, Natsu and Issei were handed with the errand of buying Asia's clothes. At first, the girl was against it since she cannot freely accept their parents' generosity but they seemed persistent and had no choice but go along with it. And Natsu was beginning to get pissed off, seeing his parents getting all that easy towards their newcomer and even not even considering their sons' opinions to this.

Well whatever, at least it's beneficial to Asia since she would living with them from now on.

"U-Umm... is it really okay to do something like this for me?" Asia soon started their conversation.

"Well, since it our parents' request, we can't do anything but go along with it..." Issei trailed off in thought.

"Even so, I think this is a bit too much..."

"It runs in the family..." Natsu smiled.

"That I agree..." Issei soon followed.

"By the way, have you informed Buchou that we're heading late to the club?"

"No... But I think she would understand once we head there... Right now, let's buy Asia some clothes." Issei suggested.

..

..

Another few minutes of walking alongside each other, all three of them managed to get to the townsquare and it is usually full of people walking in all directions towards their own separate destinations, it was Asia's first time to see this many people. Aside from the people she had been healing back when she was on the Church, this number of people is nothing compared to that. The two could see the excitement written on her face as she gazed over to the busy town.

"A-Amazing..." She exclaimed in surprise.

"So what should we buy first... I can always count for food later but Asia comes first...I don't know anything about girl's clothes so I'll have you decide on that, Issei." Natsu turned to his brother who gaped afterwards after realizing something important just now.

"Wha- You mean- we're going to a clothes store?"

"What else would you think? Anyways, I think we should split up for a moment... I'll try to find us some store to eat for lunch while you accompany Asia to buy her some clothes... Is that okay?" Natsu suggested though not before long, Issei instantly agreed to his decision and Asia slowly agreeing to it in the process.

"Then we'll meet up in the fountain... Don't take too long, Natsu..." Issei reminded.

"Yeah..." After deciding their roles for today, Natsu went on his way alone while the two simply went on to the clothes store. Although he didn't like the fact of having his brother to tag along with a girl to a clothes store, he believes that Issei is not the kind of person who would go that far and he has restrains where the boundary between his actions should remain. Plus, he had known him for too long and he has the same sincere attitude of protecting those who are important to him.

Smiling at the thought, he continued on his way to the other part of the town. He went passed many people of different age and ethnicity as he walked blindly to whatever place he wanted to stumble into.

Eventually, he found a good restaurant and couldn't help but feel excited as he ran into it with haste in order to take a good look at it. There was a variety of meat servings and he failed to keep his own drool flashing out from his mouth as he looked at the menu with insatiable hunger. Fortunately, he remembered about his two companions and decided to head back in order to meet with them.

As the day continued, he decided to take a break for a moment and sat on a bench at the side of the street to rest.

..

..

A moment of relaxing himself from the busy day, he stared oddly towards the sea of people before him, watching them cross between him as the day continued. Just by remembering the matter about devils and other supernatural beings, his eyes narrowed in seriousness as he turned over to the table to think for a moment.

"Things are changing..." He muttered. His peaceful days are over and he will be experiencing a lot of mishaps and other situations involving with supernatural beings. Well, he did swear to Rias that he would fight for his brother's sake. However, that was not the whole reason to it. He also wanted to find out about his past. If the existence of devils and angels are true, then this would eventually help him discover about his forgotten past.

He can finally find out why he was abandoned and can't remember all of it. There has to be reason and he knew it. The images about the mysterious creature that kept appearing in his dreams are proof of that. He needed to find out why and seeking help from this people like Rias will definitely lead him back to where he was.

It didn't take long for him to eventually realize of his mistake in leaving his two companions behind and decided to run back to where they were supposed to meet.

By the time he reached there, both Asia and Issei were waiting for me though with the latter seemingly pissed since he had them waiting for him for quite some time now. He seemed to carry some paper bags, probably from the clothes they bought for Asia.

"Where have you been? We've been waiting for you!" Issei smacked his brother's head in irritation.

"Sorry... I got lost track on time..." He lied. It was not long before until Asia stood between, hoping to dissuade their argument against each other.

"Please, don't fight... It's wrong for brothers to be fighting against each other." She pleaded which somehow got the two to sigh in response. Not one of them would ever try to disobey her pleas since she was too innocent and kindhearted nature.

The two eventually settled down but left with a discreet scowls on their faces as they continued to proceed to the store and decided to eat there. With Natsu being on behind the two, he smiled inwardly as he watched Asia becoming more friendly with him and Issei as time goes by.

Seeing a devil and a nun conversing freely to each other without being weighed down by their faction's rules is refreshing. He couldn't care less about them. Rules never apply to him and he would gladly break them for the sake of his friends.

A sudden tight clench on his fists soon followed as Natsu's determination became more strong as ever.

 _'I will definitely protect everyone...'_

...

...

...

As they were eating, Natsu and Issei were surprised to see that Asia never really had a meal such as a hamburger in her entire life, seeing that she doesn't know how to eat them properly. With instinct, Issei drew the first lesson and started to open the wrap over the hamburger as her eyes followed to his hands until he finally placed them on both sides of the burger.

"This is how you eat it, Asia." Was his reply to her before opening his mouth wide and bit off a chuck of food to his mouth and started chewing it. Asia did the same but with little bite and a well-mannered way of eating it slowly, unlike from the brownette.

"Hoh, I think this is how you eat it." Natsu made his turn as well as he unwrapped the burger and simply ate it wholly and chewed on it in an instant, much to the two's dismay and shock.

Even so, the three could only laugh at each other as Asia felt extremely at peace, talking with the two of them. Their bashfulness and energy is what makes the whole atmosphere around them quite calm and warm. It was the first time she'd ever felt something like this. After all, the two males in front of her were her first friends who opened up to her even having a bad history.

She believed that may God has finally fulfilled her dreams of having friends for the first time. It may not be the one that she always imagined inside her mind but this one is undeniably more better than what she thought back then.

..

..

With the day turning in for the afternoon, the three decided to settle down first to a stone bench near the fountain in order to take a break for a moment from their share of having fun. Issei was sitting beside Asia while Natsu was standing in front of them, gazing over to the fountain in deep thought while constantly throwing small pebbles upon it to kill time.

It was quite an unexpected turn since they were never attacked by the fallen angels despite them exposing themselves during the day. But even thought they were to be attacked, Issei can call out Rias and the others if something ever happens to them. Speaking of who, they totally forgot that they had a meeting at the old school building this day and they spent most of their time shopping around with Asia.

"Today was a very memorable day..." Asia said with a smile.

"Did you have fun?" Natsu asked.

"Yes... It was fun hanging around with you, Natsu-san, Issei-san."

"Well, I'm glad we could help out... But we're not done yet... With those fallen angels around, all of us are not safe yet." Issei said with a frown as Asia also went along with it while Natsu turned back on his attention to his two friends before slowly standing up and went towards them with reassurance.

"Don't worry... I'm sure Buchou is probably thinking a way to solve this problem for you, Asia... ... We're right behind you."

.

.

"D-Do you... ... ... Do you think that... ... it would be okay if I... ... become a devil?" A sudden question from her, caught the two's attention as Natsu turned to her with a disbelieving look. Of course, he would be since it's his first time hearing something like this though Issei seemed to more aware of it than him.

"What are you talking about all of a sudden?"

"Last night, Rias-san asked me about joining their peerage as a proposal because the fallen angels will dispose me if I ever tried to return with them... She explained that I would be still targeted by other people just for the Sacred Gear I possess... ...And even if the problem was resolved, I still can't return to the Church because I was branded as a heretic..."

"... So in either way, you'll still be abandoned? Is that right?" Natsu asked in which Asia meekly nodded.

Before they could even continue, Natsu soon saw a single black feather falling right in front of them until both of them finally felt a strange presence looming over to them as their eyes widened in shock, seeing Raynare coming into view above before landing safely to the ground in a fair distance away from the three. Issei and Natsu backed up together as the former called out his Sacred Gear while the latter called out to his flames, guarding Asia from behind.

"I never expected that a sister like you would be associating with the devils, Asia-chan... Just how low have you become?" Raynare began to speak which only made the two to easily snap in anger but retained their composure against the fallen angel.

"Raynare! What the hell did you come here for?!" Natsu demanded.

"Oh nothing personal really... I just wanted to visit the two boys that I failed to kill the other day... well at least one of you that is..." Her violet eyes soon darted over to the pinkette with malicious intent as Natsu raised the intensity of his flames once more.

"You're not taking Asia from us... ... We will protect her from at all costs!" Issei declared but Raynare could only laugh at their angry retorts as she carelessly floats around in front of them.

"Fufu... I'm quite surprised that you had your Sacred Gear on... Makes sense that I should've killed you that day... After all, you were a threat to us but things have changed..."

"What are you talking about?" He demanded.

"I think we found something more suitable for extraction... ... " She turned to Natsu with anticipation. "Natsu-kun... if you decided to come along with me, then I'll spare your friends."

"Heh, as if I would listen to the likes of you! Don't forget you're outnumbered!" Natsu rebutted.

"Is that so? Maybe I should remind you that you two are just beginners and had no experience with real battle against beings like us." She stated.

"We've been through thick and thin against your other friends... What makes you think that we're not experienced yet?!"

"Well, it would be like this-" Without warning, she disappeared out of sight as she disappeared into a silver blur, causing the two to search blindly through their surroundings while keeping their guard up.

However, their eyes soon darted over to Asia who was being pointed by a spear of light near her neck as the two were left surprised at her speed. It was then, the two realized that they let down their guard against her and didn't expect to take Asia as hostage.

"Asia!-"

"Not another step... Move one foot and she dies." She threatened as she slowly leaned her spear closer to her neck as Natsu and Issei were left helpless to do something at the situation as they can't move freely together with their powers.

"You bastard! Let her go-!" Issei shouted in anger.

"Of course, I would let her... but not until you hand over Natsu-kun first then I'll probably change my mind and return her back for you..." She suggested.

"And what makes you think that we would believe you?!" Natsu glared towards her.

"Because it's the only option you have here... ... Don't you want her to become free? She's been forced to follow orders even back at the Church until now... Are you going to forsake her just for your own safety?"

"..."

"..."

Silence seemed to overcome the atmosphere as the two were left no choice but to revert back to their own forms, seeing that they really had no chance in saving Asia except in listening to her demands. Before they could speak once more, Asia turned to look at the two with teary eyes as she looked at them with worry but at the same time, with a smile.

"Natsu-san, Issei-san... That's enough... ... I won't let myself to be a burden for the two of you... That's why- ... ... ... ... live on." She cried silently.

Issei could only grit his teeth in frustration. Their situation is turning for the worse and calling Buchou and the others here would be a bad idea, probably ending Asia's life too in the process. But before he could even act on his own, he was stopped as Natsu raised his hand beside him until he looked at the fallen angel with a determined look.

"I'll go... in return, you'll give back Asia and spare my friends..." He spoke.

"Natsu, what are you doin-"

"Issei, I'm leaving Asia to you..." Without even giving him the time to react, Natsu raised his hands to surrender before walking towards her side, much to the two's shock and disbelief. Raynare could only smirk evilly as Natsu finally approached before her.

"You got what you want... Now, let Asia go..." He spoke.

"Of course, a deal is a deal after all..." And with that, she placed cuffed his hands with magic-sealing properties which resulted to Natsu's loss of power before turning her attention towards Asia and shoved her away in which Issei caught just in time before she could even hit on the pavement. Without warning, she then proceeded to knock the pinkette out through the back of his head, losing his consciousness as his body fell limp in her arms before wings sprouted out from her back and ascended to the sky and began to disappear in sight.

Issei and Asia helplessly watched them being swallowed in the sky as both of them were left distraught and extremely worried of their friend's safety.

 _'Natsu...'_

* * *

 **A/N: And stop! YEAH! Natsu is kidnapped FTW! No, wait seriously, he was kidnapped and that leaves our remaining characters to formulate a plan to save him before all is too late. Well, we can all find out on the next chapter which will be the last chapter for this arc before moving up to Riser. Seriously, I think most will be expecting that so I'll have to rush things a bit if you're getting impatient.**

 **Now, there's the talk about Asia, I was thinking about her being the sister type for the two... And thus, placing her to the middle of the harem line. But as I get further into the story, she will eventually get pulled in as well. :3**

 **Sorry for not updating in a day because I decided to refresh my brain for awhile and started reading the Volume 14 of the LN and it turns out... a lot is revealed, including Evil Dragons... Now that's something I would definitely write about with a mix of Igneel in between lol. Now that would be a fun read. Well, I do hope to get there as well. As of now, I'm starting 15 so I'll returning to my reading soon.**

 **As always, thanks for you support on this story. To those, wanting my other stories to be published, please wait a bit further. I promise to get back at them as soon as I can.**

 **Leave a review and tell me what you think. If you like the story so far, give it a fav, and follow :)**

 **That's all for now guys, I'll see you on the next chapter.!**

 **\- wiErD SpeCtrumz blacking out... ... ...**


	8. Awakening of the Two Dragons

**A/N: Sup guys! wiErD here and as promised, this will the last chapter of this arc before moving to Riser. The battle for Natsu and Asia's lives finally comes to a close. What do you think would happen? Well, it's all right here in this chapter, including the aftermath as well.**

 **Hope ya like it!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own FT and HSDxD. All goes to their respective authors/writers of these wonderful stories.**

* * *

 **\- Awakening of the Two Dragons -**

Natsu felt like he had been sleeping on a cold hard ground as he felt his body rested on a flat surface. His eyes slowly blinking back to life and his body is beginning to readjust to his surroundings as his memories are still quite groggy. He seemed to have hit something hard on the back his head that somehow made him unconscious for quite some time. He tried to remember but the images were blurry and quite hazy at the moment.

It took only a couple of minutes for him to finally realized of what's happened.

That's right. He volunteered himself to be kidnapped and let Asia escape from Raynare's clutches. However, he couldn't say the same thing for himself now that he actually found himself in some sort of a cavern, locked in a large cage with magic-sealing properties to prevent him from using his power. Candle lights are seen from odd places and he could see some sort of an altar with a huge cross at the top of the slope of stairs with intricate markings.

"I see you're finally awake..." It was then a voice rang into his ears as his head shifted towards his left and saw Raynare sitting on a chair beside the cage with a laid-back expression, seemingly not as hostile as she was before.

"Raynare..." His voice was filled with anger but it didn't faze her one bit as she stood up and paced back and forth as she was examining him from head to toe.

"Well, it seems like you're not that injured after knocking you out that suddenly."

"A little chop like that ain't gonna kill me." He hissed.

"Thought so... since I knew that you would possess a power that could even withstand such petty attacks like that easily... Though I don't sense a Sacred Gear within you, I could tell that you possess something even more powerful than that." She deduced.

"And what makes you think that?"

"You nearly killed me and easily overwhelmed the others in just a short amount of time that is... That power is something I want from you." She smirked.

"So you're just another power-hungry fallen angel, huh?" He realized.

"Say what you want... It will be a matter of time till I can get that power of yours... There will be no one who would save you this time, not even your devil friends or even your brother." She spoke with finality before leaving as Natsu simply leaned himself over to the wall before sitting and breathe a long sigh as looked up to the dark ceiling in worry.

 _'I wonder if Issei and the others are okay...'_

Despite the current situation he was currently in, he doesn't feel a single thing of worry about his own safety. After all, he's just a human associated to no one. He couldn't say that he aligns himself to Rias and her peerage because he did that with his own reasons involving both his brother and his forgotten past. With things turning in for the worse, he just felt nothing to say to his condition and just started moping around like a lost person.

What is his purpose? Why was he bestowed with such power that it caught him into many weird situations that almost ended his life? Why does he needed to be dragged on with all this?

He didn't know but the answers would probably lie on his dream about that mysterious creature.

Sighing again for the second time, Natsu wanted to rest again. He lost track of time and having been inside the cave, he couldn't know if it was day or night by now. Whatever it is, he will just have to accept his fate if death really have to be on his side this time.

.

.

* * *

 ** _Meanwhile, at the old school building..._**

"Natsu's been kidnapped?!" A distressed shout came from the redhead as her hands slammed to the desk out of worry and frustration after hearing the whole situation that happened between him and Raynare. Asia and Issei were just as worried as she is and the former couldn't help but cry in the midst of the discussion, seeing that it was all her fault that Natsu was taken away by the fallen angels.

It's not just them who were worried. Behind Rias was Akeno who had been trying to keep her composure for as long as she could in order to think straight towards the situation. Her worries and anger are growing far more noticeable as Rias looked at her queen in great worry and decided to calm her down but still couldn't contain most of it unless Natsu was freed from those low-lives.

"What are we gonna do now, Buchou?" Kiba asked his master for orders but Rias could only bit her lip as she tried thinking for some solution to bring back the pinkette safe and sound.

.

.

With each passing minute, Issei couldn't hold himself from much longer and stood up from his seat and tried to speak for himself.

"Buchou! I'll save Natsu!"

"Don't be reckless, Issei... There's no doubt that the church would be heavily guarded, seeing that they have Natsu as a valuable asset to themselves." She reminded.

"Why would they kidnap Natsu instead of Asia?" Kiba asked.

"They probably must've caught wind of Natsu's power and decided to divert their attention away from her and turned on to him as the new target."

"We don't even know the power Natsu possesses nor we do have the knowledge in identifying it... More or less, it's a dangerous and powerful one and if it falls onto the wrong hands, we'll be having ourselves another war with another faction." Akeno reminded.

"I doubt that they know his power as well... And I don't know what would happen if they tried to do something that they weren't aware of." Rias frowned.

"What do you mean by that?" Asia asked.

"I mean that if they decided to exploit his powers, there's no doubt that Natsu would get hurt because of it or in the worst case scenario, he might die." A wave of collective shocks went through the group at her assumptions. True, Natsu maybe powerful at first but he's still human and cannot withstand much as they do in their current status as devils. However, his growth in power seemed to be escalating with each passing time and if the fallen angels had done something to halt that progress, Rias might have to assume for the worst.

The reactions within the group were in the mix of anger and worry. Asia knew how much the situation had turned in for the worst now that Natsu is in danger of his life as of now. If they didn't do something about it then he'll-

She tried to shake off the horrifying thought as she didn't want that to happen.

.

.

"I-I'm sorry... It's because of me, Natsu-san is... ..." Everyone looked at the nun in worry as tears seemed to build from the corner of her eyes again, seeing that all of this was her fault.

"Don't blame yourself, Asia... ... Natsu just wanted to keep you safe and away from harm." Issei reassured but she was really never convinced as she continued to cry, much to their dismay. However, all of a sudden, Rias took it upon herself and simply hugged Asia close to her chest as her tears immediately stopped from flowing down from her eyes. The redhead slowly stroked her hair softly before patting it completely in reassurance as she begins to speak.

"Don't cry, Asia... ... If Natsu would be here, he would be sad to see you like this... He volunteered himself to be captured for your sake... He did it in his own accord and he knew all too well about the consequences that may come soon to him, all because he cared about you..." She paused.

"... You may not realize it but Natsu already views you as one of his friends, his family and a trusted human whom he can talk with, have fun with and cry with altogether. He's the kind of person who would risk himself in order to save his comrades, just like how he saved you from them the other day... ... So please, don't cry anymore. I'll promise you, we're all going to bring him back to us." Rias smiled warmly as Asia could only look at her in relief as she could finally let out a teary smile.

"Yes..."

It was then, Issei approached her with a determined look.

"Don't worry, Asia... I'll definitely bring him back... Brothers need to stick with each other and I think I still have to pay him a debt for saving me before." He pumped his left fist as his Sacred Gear soon appeared before him.

Just by observing his undying will, everyone could only smile in thought towards him before they finally returned back to discussing their situation.

"Alright, everyone... Right now, our mission is to retrieve back Natsu at all cost. As you can see, the information that Asia provided for us is that the church is teeming with rogue exorcists and being led by the fallen angels. So far, we only knew four of them and one of them is Raynare, the same fallen angel who tried to kill both Issei and Natsu..." Rias explained.

"Raynare... I swear I'm going to kill you when I finally get my hands on you." Issei hissed in anger.

"There's going to be a lot of resistance once we attack the church, considering that the fallen angels might have to stop us from getting to Natsu as well..."

"Buchou and I will handle the fallen angels... ... It is best to have both the king and queen deal with them... The rest of the pieces will have march in and take out the exorcists and find Natsu." Akeno suggested.

"Akeno is right... Kiba, Koneko... You two will have to accompany Issei in the assault. You all will have the permission to use whatever means to defeat these scums. No need to hold back. Our top priority is Natsu so I'm leaving the three of you in his hands." Rias ordered which only gave them respond back to her with a firm 'Yes, Buchou' before moving out.

However, before they could even initiated their plan, Asia soon called out to their attention as she has something to say.

"L-Let me come along too..." She spoke but Issei could only gape in surprise at her statement.

"Asia?"

"I-It's partly my fault that Natsu was involved in this so... ... I also want to help him... I may not be a fighter but at least, I can heal everyone if they were injured!" She finally spoke out in determination for the first time, much to the brownette's surprise.

"But healing a devil is a bit-" Kiba spoke but not before long she interrupted him.

"That's not important right now... ... What's important is saving Natsu-san. That is all!" It didn't take long until all of them smiled at her decision until Rias shook her head in content.

"Very well, I'll have you accompany with the three in bringing back Natsu... All of you are a valuable asset in preforming this rescue mission. Don't think yourselves as worthless and believe in your power. Sacred Gears move in accordance to the will of its user. The stronger your will, the more your Gear will work for you."

"Yes, Buchou..."

.

.

"Oh and one last thing, Issei..." Rias called out to the brownette who stopped for a moment as he turned to look at the redhead in confusion.

"Yes, Buchou?"

"There is one last thing that I have to tell you of your Evil Piece. Although you might already think that your piece is the weakest but you are wrong... Among the evil pieces, it has special features that the other pieces don't have..."

"Special features? You mean, the pawn?"

"Yes... It's called Promotion... If a master advances her pawn all the way to enemy territory, she can promote her pawn into any piece other than the King."

"Wait, then that means-"

"That's right... You will gain the ability of the pieces like rook, knight, and queen, depending on what you desire to choose towards the situation. However, you can only make this special technique once you reached into enemy territory... Right now, our enemies have resided in the abandoned church which I would mark as an enemy territory. Once you get there, you can use this technique to save Natsu." She noted.

"Got it, Buchou... This time, I'll definitely get stronger to protect those who are important to me..."

"I knew you would... After all, you're my precious pawn... I have faith in you."

.

.

It was then Akeno finally came to the door, signaling Rias that it's time to go.

"Buchou... We're ready..."

"Well then, let's all give our best to save Natsu... I'm counting on you my proud servants of the Gremory household." A collective form of nods went to the rest of the group as Rias and Akeno finally disappeared in the magic circle beneath them, leaving the four as Issei started to make his way towards the door.

"Although we haven't teamed up for the first time, I appreciate that you're helping me to save my brother." Issei turned to the blonde-haired prince of the academy with a smile.

"Natsu-kun is part of the Gremory household. Bound or not, he's our precious comrade. As a friend, I would gladly give my strength to save him as well." Kiba spoke in his truthfully in his words and Issei could feel some knightly aura surrounding him in the process.

"I'll help out as well." Koneko said with a blank tone.

All of them are all set and ready to go. There's no time to waste. They must reach the church before the ceremony could even finish.

With them all wearing determined looks, they departed from the school building and finally began their assault towards the church.

* * *

 ** _Back at the underground cavern... ..._**

Natsu had been sitting with his back leaned against the wall for quite some time. There was no word of Raynare or any of the other fallen angels who came to just talk to him though he can't be expecting any of that now. I mean, who would be on the right mind to just talk to a prisoner like him anyway? After all, they all just wanted his power and after that, he's thrown away. However, sitting around doesn't make him feel good at all. He's never been this laid-back before since he would do things that can help him occupied till the rest of the day. Things like sleeping, practicing and fighting are the ones that made him alive everyday and being locked around with nothing but patches of hay and a magic-sealing cuff.

It was not too long until someone finally went back to the cavern and he was surprised that it would be her again. He was hoping another one would come in her place but he'd rather chose her instead since he kinda remembered pummeling the other fallen angels with ease and that's saying something.

"Yo!" Came the casual greeting from the pinkette.

"Surprised to see you getting all that easy without considering the fact that you're imprisoned."

"What's wrong with that? Not all prisoners would have the same gloomy feeling, wallowing in depression of their past sins."

"Yours are a different matter than them." Her voice seemed heavy for some reason.

.

.

"Tell me, why do you desire power that much?" As if she was going to answer that anyway. But just he was about to skip his last question, she began to speak.

"I need power so that everyone who made fun of me will finally know my true power." She declared in a darkly tone.

"But why did you try to kill off, Issei? You know that he has that Sacred Gear you were fascinated about."

"He was a threat and an enemy to our existence... I didn't even consider taking it since it's not as useful as Asia's Twilight Healing."

"Then why did you have to trick him and pretended to be his girlfriend?" Raynare could feel the anger settling on the tone of his voice but she decided to amuse herself.

"Isn't it obvious? Humans are so very weak that in fact, we can manipulate their will with ease... Shouldn't you know that by now... since you were there when he was lying lifelessly on the ground." She mocked though she slightly smiled darkly after seeing his tightened fists in his form. However, Natsu remained his cool as he simply reverted back to his own usual behavior though he actually found something rather obvious to her nature.

.

.

"You're afraid, don't you?" He suddenly spoke.

"What?"

"You're afraid because you feel like you are a useless tool once someone tried to throw you away and don't recognize you to be as a respected fallen angel, am I right? Isn't that the same reason of why you wanted to crave for power? In order for you to remain useful?" But that statement simply fueled her anger and it was not long before a spear of light came crashing almost near to the side of the pinkette's head as Raynare struck it in pure rage before looking at him in fury.

"Don't try me... I could end your life anytime as I see fit... The only reason that you are still breathing is because of your power inside you... Once I got a hold of that power, I will have no use for you." She threatened.

"See? The truth is just there... You're afraid of becoming weak. You're afraid that you might become inferior... Do you honestly think that being weak is a bad thing? Do you think that power alone is enough to make you useful to those above you? If you're trying yourself to look useful in front of their eyes then it would be just you making a fool out of yourself-"

"SHUT UP, HUMAN! A NORMAL HUMAN LIKE YOU WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND! Once I get that power within you, I will be honored by many and everyone those who laughed at me will bow before me...! I will prove myself to Azazel-sama or Shemhaza-sama. All I need is power! You will never ever understand that, human." She speaks with venom in her voice however, Natsu could only put up a sad smile finally able to see through the fallen angel before him that she's just as helpless as other people who feared of becoming useless to those people- or in this case, beings far above her.

Her reasons of doing this is just her desperation to keep herself amused to those beings far above her. That same feeling has been contagious even back to the humans themselves. He never thought that it would be also a fixture to the supernatural beings who blended in with them in secret but seemed to similarly have the same dilemma as humans also do.

"I almost feel sorry for you..." He muttered but Raynare could never form up any arguments against him now that she finally rattled.

"I don't need your pity, human... Once this is all over, I'll be the strongest fallen angel and they will all recognize me!" She declared but Natsu never spoke afterwards and simply remained silent.

.

.

It was not long until Dohnaseek came from the cavern's entrance though seemingly in a hurry as he began to inform something to her. Something urgent.

"Raynare... They're here." He spoke.

"Those devil brats... ... Send in the priests together with Freed... And this time, make it right." She spoke with hostility but the coated man didn't flinch as he simply shook his head before leaving until she finally turned her attention back to him with an evil smirk.

"It seems like I have to speed up the ceremony..."

* * *

Outside the church, Issei, Kiba and Koneko were positioning themselves on the nearby bushes as they tried to scan the area for any signs of enemies patrolling outside. So far, there's not a soul to be found wandering or even guarding the church as if they were letting them take the bait and ambush them from the inside. With Asia closing herself further behind Issei's back for protection, everyone narrowed their eyes in determination as Issei began to speak.

"What an intense killing atmosphere..."

"There's going to be a lot of rogue priests around here so be on your guard." Kiba warned.

"Seriously? I'm glad you came here with us." Issei breath a sigh of relief.

"Well, we're friends, aren't we? Natsu's the same for everyone in the club, plus I'm not overly fond of fallen angels or priests. You might say I despise them." His gaze seemed to narrow for a moment there which didn't go unnoticed by Issei but decided to keep it on his own since their top priority is saving his brother.

"Let's go." It was then Koneko decided to speak and not before long she casually walked towards the closed entrance of the church itself as the three followed suit.

"Oi! oi... What happened to the sneaking and stuff?"

"They probably knew that they were coming." Again with the stoic reply but she didn't stop there as she easily kicked the doors open, detaching them from their hinges before loudly falling from both sides though Asia felt a chill running through her spine after witnessing such a heavy fight like this and that Koneko is incredibly strong.

As the doors broke, they soon managed to find themselves on large hall with the traditional settings of the church though most of them were broken and desecrated by those people who had fallen from heaven. Asia was by far to be more affected at this sight, seeing that the house of worship was reduced into something like this. She never knew that these people would bear such hatred towards God.

After taking a walk towards the front, they soon stopped for a moment a figure soon appeared right before them though with Issei and Asia widening their eyes in disbelief after seeing the same person who tried to kill them the other day.

"Uuuhhhhhh, it's good to have a short reunion with you shitty devils though I hated the fact that all of you survived in my first encounter because none of the devils I killed never even got a day to tell their story... ... ... It's soooouuunds frustating now is iiiitttt?! So you see, I'm fucking pissssed offf! Fucking pissed off at you shithead devils for making me look like a stupid prick!"

His erratic and mad behavior have only made them raised their guard up in defense until a group of rogue priests wearing on cloaked robes appeared behind Freed as some sort of back-up, causing the three to take a step back as they were outnumbered by them.

"Shit, we're surrounded!" Issei said with caution as he inched himself closer to Asia to protect her.

"Hahahaha! This time around, you won't be able to get away... I'll be the one who will cut that shitty head of yours and offer it to the fallen angels." Freed laughed once more before looking straight to Asia with an evil expression.

"So the shitty-sister demon-lover has finally revealed her true colors, huh?! Oh, well there's truth that you are called witch by many, hihihi!"

"I don't care what people tells about me... The way you're doing this is wrong...!" Asia tried to speak.

"Ooooh, I don't want to hear that coming from a fellow heretic as well." He spat.

"Where's Natsu?!" Issei demanded.

"Hoh, you mean that devil-associating human... then he's in the underground ceremony hall down those stairs..." He pointed over behind him. "But you four won't be able to get down so it doesn't matter anyway... We'll kill you right here!"

Leaving those words, Issei and the others simply stood defiantly towards the priests before Issei began to shout.

"Let's go! Sacred Gear!"

"Die demons!" And with that, two sides soon clashed against each other.

Kiba used his insane speed as he easily dispatched a small group of priest trying to take them from both sides. Koneko simply used her strength as she picked up large object and swung it against them, thus sending them flying away with Issei still trying to understand what his power can do.

 **[Boost!]**

The green orb situation above his palm simply glowed as a voice resounded throughout the hall before turning his attention towards Freed who also focused on him as well. It's time to end this once and for all.

"I'll be the one who will personally cut that head of your, demon!" Freed declared.

"As if you can!"

 **[Boost!]**

His Sacred Gear is Twice Critical. It's something that will grant him enough power for a short amount of time. If he needed to deal as much damage as he could against the rogue priest, he needed to connect his fist together with the power of his promoted piece for a double boost.

"Haaaa!" While trying to swipe his blade of light towards him, Freed had to take a step back as another sword was aimed to him, shifting his attention to Kiba who made quick work of the priests together with Koneko's help in just a matter of seconds.

"Seriously? What weaklings I have on my side... Oh well, the more I kill the better!"

"You're totally out of yourself, you crazed bastard! Promotion Rook!" Issei said in anger before sprinting towards him recklessly. Freed tried to shoot him with his exorcist gun but the effects of the rook piece he chose in his promotion simply granted him complete defense against them, surprising him.

"Wha-"

"Take this, you fucking crazy priest asshole!" Shouting with all his might, he nailed his exposed right fist towards his face, sending him toppling over a few meter before crashing unto the front altar of the destroyed cross.

"This is for what you did to Natsu and Asia... ... That felt good!" However as the dust settled, Freed simply emerged from the crash as if that punch didn't faze him at all but they could see a light scratch on his cheek where his fist connected to.

"That's good... That's really good... I'm all excited! I guess, I'll have to get serious this time!" Shouting hysterically, he brought out two light swords from his coat before turning viciously towards them in mad rage as the three backed up before Asia who was applying some healing spell on each of them to remove their slight injuries from the fight.

"This is just getting started... Don't let your guard down" Kiba said.

"I know... Until I can save Natsu, I'll have to fight to the very end."

* * *

The ceremony was already starting and the remaining priests who weren't fighting from above simply attended and chanted their words in performing the ritual of the extraction of the pinkette's power from his body. Natsu was simply tied in chains who had a complicated expression before looking down towards them confusingly. With Raynare standing right in front of him, he could only watch as his supposed doom is approaching.

After being told about the effects of having his powers taken away from his body, Natsu never felt any fear inside his heart. Hearing the commotion upstairs with the help of his enhanced senses, he knew that Issei and the others are coming to save him.

But judging from the looks of the ceremony, it has already begun and it would be a matter of time till his power is taken away from him.

"What's wrong? Are you afraid of death?" Raynare spoke after noticing the troubled expression he was having at the moment.

"Not quite... I believe my friends are coming to save me so I don't need to worry."

"Hmph... You may sound like you are really dependent to them..."

"What's wrong in depending in your friends? It's more easy than just doing things by yourself..." He stated.

"That's what you humans believe... In this world, there are things where the beliefs of one's self is just an illusion. There are no such things as helping each other. Friends stabbed you in the back and take away everything from you without a shred of pity or care for your well-being... That's the reality of the world even to you." She spat.

"You say that because you never seen them or you regarded that 'help' as a source of weakness."

"Well of course it is... Depending on your friends? Why do you need such things when you can just swat them away on your own? You don't need them... Only the weak depends on something like that."

"You're wrong... All of us here are weak... There's no denying that you and I are all weak. That's why we rely on our friends in order to cover that weakness, guarding each other's back and putting your trust and faith in them as if they were real family... You can deny it all you want but everyone doesn't want to be lonely. That's just how beings like humans and other species have survived for long. We depended on each other, fought for each other, and cared for each other." He reasoned.

"Enough of this... If you really believe on something as delusional as that then prove me that you're right... But if you end up dying then you wasted your own breath against me..." She paused.

"Freed and the other priests are holding up your friends from above, Kalawarner, Mittelt and Dohnaseek are also taking down your master as well... Where are your friends now?" She dared.

"They'll come here... I'm sure of it."

"Heh, we'll see..."

..

..

But as the ceremony continues to progress of the extraction, Dohnaseek came from the entrance as he flew with his black wings towards the altar just behind Raynare who then turned her attention towards him, seeing that he's not on the same position that she ordered him to guard to.

"What are you doing here, Dohnaseek? Can't you see I'm in the middle of the ceremony?"

"The two girls are already disposed of... Their master is finally defeated." He revealed.

"Then, all those servants back up there-"

"Dead... Without a master, they won't be able to live. The only remaining one is that sister who joined along with them."

"Ah, Asia-chan... Well, I'll have the extraction of her Sacred Gear as well as soon as I complete this ceremony." After a moment, she turned towards the shocked pinkette who have heard of the news.

"Well, well well... It seems like your friends are not as what you believed to be after all... I guess this is what they call despair... Such a waste really." Raynare chuckled in delight as Natsu could only grit his teeth in frustration towards them.

There's no way for them to actually lose. He had seen Rias' powers and Akeno-senpai' as well. He knew Issei is likely to move forward even if the odds are against him. There has to be a mistake!

.

.

Feeling satisfied to the turn of events, Raynare simply breath a sigh of relief before looking towards Natsu with reassurance.

"Don't worry... Once all of this is over, I promise to end your suffering once and for all-"

 ***SHUNK* *SPURT* *GUSH***

A sound of piercing flesh soon rang in both of their ears as Natsu was left shocked in disbelief of seeing a medium-sized spear of light impaling Raynare from behind, who on the other hand widened her eyes in disbelief as a trickle of blood rushed out from her mouth before slowly looking back and only to find Dohnaseek piercing her left side of her abdomen with his spear of light.

"D-D-Dohnaseek- W-What is the meaning of this?!" Raynare managed to speak but the blood on her mouth simply prevented her from doing so.

"Apologies, Raynare but I don't take orders from you." He smirked before pulling out the spear as she instantly fell down on the ground, clutching her wound as blood slowly poured out on it. The fallen angels trembled in shock and fear as Raynare could only look in despair as she saw her hand dyed in blood, causing her to unable to reply while trying to get away from his as far as possible until a foot stuck itself on her stomach, giving large amounts of pain as her screams in agony resounded through the silent hall.

"Ever since, finding out this kid's power, I have to make a choice. His power is something more powerful than all the Sacred Gears I've seen in my lifetime..."

"W-Why did y-you-"

"Just shut up and die will you? We can't have you on our ranks... Seeing that you were sent by Azazel to observe the other boy. Kokabiel-sama just can't take any chances having a fallen angel associated with that Governor to join us so easily... But instead of killing you, we just had to use until you're finally expendable." After hearing that, Raynare could only tremble as her spirit was immediately crushed and her trust betrayed easily by her supposed allies.

"K-K-Kokabiel... ... Wha-" Another stomp onto her wound caused her to scream in pain as Dohnaseek smirked darkly towards her.

"Hmm... Kokabiel-sama isn't satisfied with the world as of now so he simply began on something that would finally ignite the flames of war between three factions... But I guess, you won't be able to live long enough to know all of it... You were a great tool, Raynare. You made Kokabiel so proud that he had to dispose you at the very end."

.

.

At that time, he finally saw it... The despair on her eyes that soon followed by tears of betrayal as Raynare could not help but feel distraught and felt herself looming in despair as Dohnaseek laughed heartily at the sight, unaware that the pinkette had his face shadowed in expression.

"She was your comrade..." Natsu muttered.

"Huh?"

"She was your comrade, right?"

"Of course, she isn't... That girl is just as very easy to manipulate like what she did to manipulate that brother of yours... But it's more frustrating for her as well... After all, friends can be the deadly weapon. Destroying their trust on the end of the line and seeing them cry out in despair never gets old... It was just so priceless to see! Hahaha!" He laughed and not before long a grit on the pinkette's teeth was heard as he slowly lifted up his gaze towards him, finally showing his pure rage and anger.

"SO YOU LIKE STABBING YOUR COMRADES RIGHT ON THE BACK AND BETRAYING THEIR TRUST COMPLETELY?! IS THAT WHAT YOU REALLY WANT TO SEE?!" The tone of his voice is much more louder and filled with rage that even Raynare haven't seen in awhile.

"What's your deal with this, trash? Shouldn't you be more grateful that I've finally killed your nightmare?"

"That's true on some point but I just can't stand it seeing friends betrayed like this! ! !"

"Silence, once this is over, I'll also have no use for you, boy-"

"You. Fucking. Bastard. I'll surely burn you whole to the point that I won't get to see anything from you!"

"Hmph, talk all you want, you can't get out in these chai-" He stopped in mid-sentence as he saw the chains melting from his hands, flames have started to flicker around him, engulfing him once more in the sea of fire as Natsu shouted in deep anger until a large surge of fire energy was shot throughout the vicinity that soon shook the cavern while sending Dohnaseek away to the other side as the pinkette was finally able to break free from the chains.

..

..

Issei and the others have to hold themselves towards one of the chairs as the tremor was felt from underground, causing all both sides to stutter in surprise as Issei turned to look worriedly at the entrance that leads them from underground.

"What the hell? I'm sure the ceremony never involve shaking the ground or sort... Is this a new development?" Freed asked himself but not before long Issei tried to punch him out of the way as he retreated back a few meters until another group of priests surrounded both Kiba and Koneko, leaving him and Asia facing the lunatic priest warily.

"Oh, no one is going to save you now... No more of that human friend of yours and certainly I'll make sure I'll give you a good time, Asia-chan!" Freed smiled deviously.

"Shut up, you bastard!"

"Hohoho! Please wait in line, mister. Though I guess you won't be able to once I cut that head of yours."

.

.

The tide of the battle is turning in for the worse, his stamina was already depleting despite having the protection of the rook piece he had inside him. He needed more power. There's gotta be something that would give him power to defeat this guy.

If only he had more power then he would be-

A sensation was soon felt on his entire body. His Sacred Gear is beginning to follow through his will for power.

 **[Boost!]**

 _More..._

 **[Boost!]**

 _I need more...!_

 **[Boost!]**

 _If I'm ever going to save my brother, I'll have to be stronger...!_

 _If you're responding to my will then grant me power to defeat this prick!_

 **[Boost!]**

For the first time ever, he finally achieved four counts of pouring out his power. And also for the first time ever, his Sacred Gear soon began to change as his gauntlet began to cover his fingers and expanded itself, covering his left arm with protruding designs at the back. It soon began to glow in bright green light as his power began to increase once more.

 **[Explosion!]**

Freed was surprised to see of the sudden change of his power he didn't mind at all as he recklessly charged towards him with his two blade of lights.

"No matter what power you have, you're still a shitty devil who needs to die!"

"As if I let you! Take this!" Easily shattering his blades, Freed was only met an intense sucker-punch to the face as he was easily sent flying away before colliding hard against the wall as blood gushed out from his mouth before slowly falling down and tried to stand up once more while clutching his insides due to the impact.

"N-No... i-it's can't end like this! I-If I'm going to be killed by a demon, I'll have to pull back for now! I'll curse you for eternity you shitty devils!" Pulling out an object from his coat, he soon threw a some sort of a flashbang that only engulfed the entire room in bright light before disappearing completely along with the priest.

"He got away, dammit!" Issei cursed.

"Now is not the time to be sitting around, let's get Natsu and get out of here." Kiba advised

But before they could even make their way towards the secret entrance, another group of priests began to emerging from the entrance with weapons at the ready. It seems like they don't want them getting any closer to Natsu.

"I don't have time to deal with you all! Give us back, Natsu!" As Issei was about to get himself to battle once more, a large surge of magical power was soon felt by the entire group as Kiba and Koneko widened their eyes in disbelief after feeling its immense pressure. Issei and Asia could feel it as well and all of them knew that the source of the pressure was undoubtedly located below them.

* * *

Dohnaseek had to regain his composure yet again as he slammed over to the wall, creating a miniature crater behind him due to the force of the wave that sent him away from the pinkette. He sprouted his wings before widening in shock as Natsu was seemingly engulfed in crimson flames, much more intensifying and provoking from the last time he saw it.

His hair turned crimson, his canines becoming more sharper than ever and his once black onyx eyes had turned crimson as well, personifying the terror of one monster that only he could describe just by looking at the aura he was currently emitting.

As if his eyes were playing him this time but somehow he was able to see the glimpse of a spectral giant red dragon behind his flames as it glared unto him with giant red orbs with large canines visible from its open snout.

It was then Natsu simply roared out towards the sky as an ear-piercing noise boomed through the cavern, easily vibrating through the walls and even going as far towards the outside as Issei and the others were left surprised at the roar that came out all of a sudden. Even Rias and Akeno were able to hear it as well and the only thing that went inside their mind as the cause of it was Natsu himself.

"Buchou... Is that-"

"Natsu..."

..

..

..

Flames spew everything out, causing destruction everywhere it touches as Natsu stood unmoving in the middle of the flames while continuously glaring at the fallen angel in pure anger.

"I thought you were just some normal human but I guess you're more than a valuable asset for us... I'll claim that power and I shall become the strongest fallen angel of all!" Dohnaseek declared before thrusting his own spear of light towards Natsu.

His eyes only widened in disbelief as the spear was burned away before it could even reach his face.

"What?!"

"I'll burn you!" It was then Natsu roared violently before instantly dashing towards him in blinding speeds before nailing him with a hard punch to his face that sent him flying again towards wall, kicking up dust as the man fell down on his knees before wiping out a patch of blood on his mouth and smirked.

"Interesting... You're interesting! That power is mine to take!" With glee on his voice, Dohnaseek unfurled his black wings and flew above before creating another spear of light, much bigger than the previous ones he was summoning in his first battle against the pinkette.

"Take this!" He shouted in defiance as he threw towards Natsu who still remained unmoving from his position before slowly lifting his hand and swatted it away easily as it was deflected with his bare hands that soon slammed to the side of the wall, shocking the man.

"I-Impossible! You... You're really are a monst-"

". . . .Fly. . . ." As fast the eye could see, Natsu immediately appeared right in front of him before slamming his right flame-coated fist towards his abdomen that sent him crashing once more, staggering desperately as blood gushed out from his mouth due to the strong impact and force of his punches.

"N-No.. I-I can't be defeated here... I'm Dohnaseek! The supreme fallen angel! I can't be defeated by the likes of you! I'll be the one who will bring your head to Kokabiel-sama!"

Ignoring his declarations, Natsu simply spun his arms in a circular fashion as Raynare was left shocked to see an immediately sudden shift of the pinkette's power. No, it wasn't depleted, it merely exceeded far more than he was currently displaying as the flames around him disappeared and compressed themselves to his hands as he began to chant his final move.

 **"Dragon Slayer's Secret Art:-"**

"Wait a moment! W-What are you doing?!"

..

..

"D-Dragonslayer?" Raynare managed to utter out in disbelief despite her injuries as she watched him perform a forbidden spell.

"I-If you're going to kill me, you'll stir the fallen angels right on your friends? Don't you understand the situation?! A mere human like you should not take the matters of the factions so casually!"

..

..

 **"Crimson Lotus, Exploding Flame Blade!"**

As he spun his arms counter-clockwise, a whirling shot of exploding flames erupted from his hands, causing a massive torrent of flame that went straight to Dohnaseek that only engulfed him wholly for a second before emitting a powerful explosion that shook the entire cavern as debris fell from the ceiling that was also felt by the others upstairs.

.

.

Issei and the others began to feel the sudden crumbling of the ground floor as cracks formed beneath them, causing them to widen in shock as Kiba turned his attention towards Issei who could only fear of what's to come.

"Issei-kun... We have to get out of here... The church is crumbling!"

"Dangerous..." Koneko spoke.

"No! I can't leave yet! Natsu is still inside-"

"If we stayed here then all of us will be caught in the collapse together with them." Kiba warned before pointing over to the panicking priests before them.

"I can't leave yet! Not without Natsu-" He wasn't given the time until Koneko grabbed him forcefully and with Kiba carrying Asia respectively.

"I'm sorry... We're too late..."

"NO! HE'S STILL IN THERE! I HAVE TO RESCUE HIM!

However, it was useless, the church simply began to crumble and the four departed before they are caught within it. Issei could only watch in horror and in despair as his brother was simply crushed and buried in the collapsing underground path.

"DAAAAAAAAMMMMMNNNNN IIIIITTTTTTTTT!"

* * *

Meanwhile, Natsu stared furiously as the flames around had dissipated, probably used up after that one powerful secret move that he unknowingly performed just now. In front of him was nothing more of a destroyed path as several patches of black feathers remained within only to be burned with tiny embers at the aftermath of the battle.

Raynare simply laid there, astonished, shocked and scared at the display of power the pinkette was having.

It was then he started to glance towards her with a blank expression and she knew that the same thing would end to her, now that she was powerless and at the mercy of the human who fought like a monster earlier.

Her fear increased as each step he takes and it didn't take long until he was finally standing in front of him, looking down on her with a complicated expression. She wouldn't even dare to just face the terrifying human before her and could only tremble in fear as she closed her eyes for her imminent death.

However, as soon as she was about to accept her fate, she felt a light pat on her head as her eyes widened in shock before slowly looking up, only to see his battered face with a faint smile.

"I'm. . . .glad. . ."

Unfortunately, his strength was already used up and his vision was starting to darken as he fell limp to the ground with a loud thud just right in front of her until a massive tremor soon began to occur around them.

Raynare alerted herself as she turned around and saw the entire cave crumbling. Rocks and giant debris fell into the ground from the ceiling above them. The cause is probably the powerful secret move that Natsu had performed earlier. A powerful attack like that would do well more damage if displayed right outside.

Leaving that aside, she had to fly out of here as soon as she can before glancing back to the unconscious pinkette.

.

.

It took a couple of seconds for her to decide until she slung his arm over to her neck. The pain from the wound she had on her left side abdomen is still there but she ignored it. What matters most is getting out alive from this place. Sprouting her black wings behind her, she soared to the air, skillfully dodging and dashing forth into the falling debris until she made it to the exit and flew away from the crumbling church.

As soon as they got out, the church finally fell underground, causing another massive tremor that is powerful enough to be felt by bystanders from the vicinity.

The battle was over.

.

.

Descending safely down to the ground in a nearby tree, Raynare slowly rested the pinkette right before it, lifting his head slowly and leaned it against the trunk. She took a few moment to take a step back and observe the human who fought for her sake despite her being an enemy. With her right hand clutching over to her wound, she just stood there, speechless and unable to reply anything despite him being asleep.

...

"Why...? did you save me...?" She trailed off in thought. Her reply was merely answered in blank air as wind blew past before them as his salmon hair fluttered throughout the night.

.

.

It was then she summoned a ball of light from her hand and threw it up the night sky as a beacon before unfurling her wings and flew away from sight. Others have begun to notice the ball of light from the distance as they all tried to follow it. Both Issei's group and Rias' group eventually merged as they walked together towards the destination, only to be shocked to find the pinkette nestling against a tree trunk and it didn't take long for Issei to run towards him, hoping if he's alright.

Eventually, Natsu managed to open his eyes awake once again though only to be smothered to death by three people, mainly Akeno, Asia and Issei altogether.

"E-Everyone?"

"NATSUUUU~" They shouted in relief.

"Wha... What happened?" He muttered confusingly, unaware of what happened to him earlier.

Before anyone could reply him, Rias eventually made her way towards him with a relieved smile.

"I'm glad you're safe, Natsu."

"Buchou..."

.

.

A moment of reconciling to their reunion, Issei simply noticed something lacking within the pinkette.

"Hey, Natsu... Where's your scarf?" Said person looked down below his neck, only to be surprised to see his scarf not wrapped around him.

"I- I don't know... ..." He frowned in thought.

"I guess, it wasn't spared from the collapse."

"I think so..." But after a brief moment, his face turned in relief.

"Are you not sad? It's your precious scarf, after all." Issei asked worriedly but Natsu could only shook his head disapprovingly.

"I have my precious friends right here."

A couple of smiles went on to the group as they've finally able to rescue Natsu from the fallen angels. The battle against them has finally ended in the victory of the devils. Rias smiled underneath her breath from the sidelines only to catch a small black feather falling form the night sky before turning her attention to the skies in suspicion.

"Is there something wrong, Buchou?" Akeno asked with a complicated expression, seeing Rias thinking deep in thought about something.

"It's nothing, Akeno... ... Well then, let's go home, everyone!"

"Yes, Buchou..."

* * *

 _ **Three days later... ... (Hyoudou Residence.)**_

It's been three days since the battle between fallen angels and devils in the church has ended. Everyone returned to their normal lives and the usual routine of the devil work for Issei remains the same. Nothing seemed to change after that except for one little thing.

A knock was soon heard from Natsu's door as the pinkette rose up from his bed and slowly readjusted himself from his surroundings before standing up and gave a loud yawn to refresh himself in the wake of the morning.

"Natsu-san... Please wake up... We have school tomorrow." Asia called out from the other side of the door with an upbeat attitude.

"Coming..."

That's right.

Asia Argento has started to live in their house permanently, adopting her as their third child of the family. Although, they're not blood related along with the Hyoudou family, their bonds towards each other are the same and everyone seemed to agree on this decision, seeing that Asia immediately accepted the proposal without hesitation.

Nevertheless, this was a very good thing for her. Right now, there's a family who she could finally love and care, and friends that she would be able to hang out with. Her loneliness has finally ended and is on the path towards happiness. Natsu couldn't feel any better than he's already having right now. This is just the beginning of something else, there's a lot of hurdles that will be coming to their way but he's sure that they'll overcome it together.

..

..

After a mild bath for himself, Natsu changed into his school uniform and easily fixed himself as his other two family members have gone downstairs to eat. He really needed to start thinking about managing his time from sleeping and working to enhance his powers. Ever since the battle against the fallen angels, Buchou had made extra measures on how to develop our powers which will now start at training their endurance and stamina.

As he made himself downstairs, he saw both his mom and dad usually in their favorite spots on the table together with Asia and Issei who had been waiting for him to do breakfast.

"Natsu... You're late... That's so unusual of you." Their mom said with a displeased tone.

"Sorry, I guess I overslept."

"Seriously, ever since Asia-chan stayed over to our house, you've been quite doing the opposite."

"Ah, it's just this day... I promise to wake up again early..."

"I hope you'll get along with her too... Okay? And that also includes you, Issei."

"Yes, ma'm."

..

..

The family went on with their food and it didn't take a few minutes for them to finish as they all stood by the door as Natsu, Issei and Asia prepared themselves towards their school.

"So today's the contract, huh? Are you sure about this, Asia?" Issei turned over to the blonde-haired girl in worry.

"Yes... It's been on my mind ever since the fight with the fallen angels so... ... I finally decided... ... to become a devil."

"You won't be able to pray normally or even visit a church when you've done it... ... Buchou explained it a lot yesterday in order for to reconsider."

"I-It's fine, Issei-san... ... I'm content that I get to live with Natsu-san and you... Just by having a family like this is blessing to me."

Issei cannot argue with that. Natsu simply put up a faint smile before forgetting something in his room.

"Oh, wait a moment, I forgot my pen upstairs!" He hastily sprinted back to the house and went upstairs as he tried to search for his pen in the nearby drawer.

But as he was trying to get for it, a looming shadow obscured the sunlight in his window for a second before disappearing as Natsu turned towards it and decided to take a look around. Opening the window glass, he leaned his head sideways to see if there's anyone around but found nothing.

After a moment, something loomed above him as he turned to gaze at the bright sun and saw some sort of an object falling towards him. The angle of the light made it hard for him to identify the object until his eyes widened in surprise after seeing it in clear view.

It was his precious scaly scarf.

But- he was sure he dropped it back at the church.

"!"

A sudden realization came into him as he notice a small black feather falling down in front of him as he turned to gaze up again to the sky but saw nothing but clear skies and a bright sun.

He took a moment to sink in before a small smile crept on its way to his lips as he held his scarf affectionately before uttering a simply statement in regards to her.

"Thank you..."

* * *

 **A/N: And that's the end of the arc. What do you think? Although I know some of you would be disappointed that I let Raynare live but come on, we can always look forward to her canonical death in the LN or anime so try to rewatch it if you want her killed over and over again- that was a joke but guys seriously, it's fanfiction, at least we can see a different twist if she ever lives here. - - -**

 **Sorry for the long chapter, I sorta combined two chapters in here (The epilogue of the arc itself.) Don't worry, I'm sure we'll be bound to go into the Riser arc. Now we have volume two coming. Natsu and Issei's powers have finally awakened but needed polishing and training and I also got plans for Natsu's modes of power so don't remind me on that. It'll take a lot of chapters for me to get there.**

 **As for the poll, only three will be selected on the votes and surprisingly, Rossweisse is popular.. Didn't expect that. Akeno is a go, Kuroka is a go go.. hehe but that would take a few more chapters for her appearance. Next week, I'll posting another poll for Issei's harem the mentioned three are crossed out on this so don't expect me to add them again.**

 **As usual, leave your comments and tell me what you think. :)**

 **Thanks again for reading and see you on the next chapter.**

 **\- wiErD SpeCtrumz blacking out... ... ...**


	9. Having a Partner, Becoming a Parent

**A/N: Sup, guys... wiErD here and I got a special chapter for you before we get to the Riser Arc. LOL**

 **Sorry for lying but this one is needed if some of you wanted 'him' to appear in the story.**

 **Disclaimer: I never own FT and HSDxD. All goes to their respective authors/writers for these awesome stories.**

* * *

 **\- Having a Partner, Becoming a Parent -**

It was any other normal day at Kuoh Academy. Students wander around the campus as the bell rang in the start of the lunch break, others attend to their club activities and you know the rest.

Situated over the rooftop was Natsu, taking his break to sleep fr the entire day. Life had returned back to their original course and he needed a small break from all the training he had been carrying out in the last few days.

That's right. He's under training with his club President Rias Gremory in order to sharpen their powers along with Issei. Ever since unlocking their powers during the fight with the fallen angels, they needed to work on their endurance if they're going against more powerful foes on their own. It's not like they're weak or anything, it's just them having not much experience to real life battles such as this one, especially when it involves devils who can obliterate a normal human being in just flick of a finger.

And Natsu knew all to well that he's still in fact, a human.

Placing a small book above his face, he decided to set aside his thoughts and focused on sleeping for the whole day. The weather is nice and the sun was bathing him perfectly in warm light, not to mention the great gentle winds that brush passed his form as time goes by.

This is the perfect spot.

..

..

After a few minutes passed, a shadow figure loomed over his face as he slowly put away the book, only to be surprised to see a person right before him.

"Akeno-senpai?!"

"Ara, ara... ... It's too early to be sleeping at a time like this, Natsu-kun." The black-haired senior smiled warmly towards him as she stood before him patiently.

"What are you doing here?"

"It's lunch break... Am I not allowed to wander off here?"

"N-No... Not at all... But there are other places worth wandering off to other than this part of the school. Plus, its quite rare that the vice president of our club to wander off just like that." He said with a complicated expression.

"Or maybe it's just you never see me that often... I'm still a student after all." She noted as a matter of fact.

"So what did you come here for?"

"Nothing... Just curious to see what my kouhai is doing at this time of day... And by the looks of it, you seemed pretty tired." Her tone soon followed with a worried expression.

"Well, Buchou had been pretty hard on us lately... Training and sorts..." He snorted.

"It's for your own sake, you know... Plus, Buchou saw great potential between the two of you and she believes you two will be a significant part in the future. Even I as well felt like that too." She smiled.

"What makes you say that?" A slight glance towards sky followed as Akeno tried to ponder for a moment before looking back to him once more.

"I just feel it... Something about you makes me curious..." Her tone suddenly changed into a seductive one as she leaned closer to him, with her breast touching his arms in the process. He had to admit, it kinda somehow feels good to be touched by them but anyways-

He thinks that they were getting sidetracked here.

"Ummm. Akeno-senpai? We're in school, you know..." He reminded.

"Ara, ara... It's not like we're being seen right now..."

"That too... But come on, get hold of yourself... You're a senpai, remember? I don't want anyone giving bad impressions to you just because of a misunderstanding." His worries caught her attention as she stopped midway and looked at him in surprise.

Is that what he was worried about? Wait, no matter how she looks at him, he seemed really clueless when it comes to girls. But that unusual caring side of his is somehow the one doing the charm out of him. Nevertheless, he was different from all the boys in the school who would fawn over the hot girls when they saw one.

Despite being brothers, he's the opposite side of Issei but both similarly have great passion in caring for their friends but for her, Natsu was bit more better in having that quality.

Slowly retreating back to her original position she sat beside him before changing another topic.

"So... how do you feel about getting along with the others?"

Natsu took a few seconds to ponder about her question before slowly staring at the sky in wonder.

"They're nice... I mean, everyone is unusually nice despite the fact that all of you are devils... When I first met you all, I kinda pictured all of you to be somewhat related to evil things like a devil would actually do but it seems like that doesn't matter anymore." He trailed off in thought but not before long he decided to ask her about something. "Anyways, how's Asia doing? I hear she's also been handing out fliers like Issei during the night."

"She's doing fine... In fact, she was happy about being part of the club and reincarnated as a devil... To be honest, I find quite strange for a nun to join to the devil's side." She pondered in thought.

"Well, she was exiled from the Church... She had no one to turn into. I think it's best for her to stay here with us."

"I think so... ..."

After a few minutes of conversing with each other, the bell finally rang and the students from below had begun returning to their rooms. Akeno also stood up from her seat beside Natsu before reaching out a hand to him in which he accepted as he stood up before walking alongside with hers and made their way downstairs.

"By the way, come by to the club later. Buchou has some announcements to be handed out to us after class. It's your job as a member to attend, alright?" She reminded in a cute way.

"Sure..."

As they made downstairs, a couple of bystanders eventually noticed them as they walked through the hallway and Natsu could somehow hear all their mutters and chatters from the sidelines despite being far away. He slightly scoffed in annoyance, knowing most of them to be insulting. It's probably because he was walking with Akeno-senpai who was popular amongst the students in the school.

After meeting at a turn, they both parted ways as the black-haired girl went to the other direction while him on the other hand, continued along the other direction and made back to the class just in time.

It was not long until his three unlikely perverted friends came rushing to him with angered expression on their faces.

"NATSU, YOU BASTARD!" Matsuda, Motohama and even Issei all shouted at him.

"What?" He answered nonchalantly.

"You fucking asshole! Walking around with Himejima-sama at broad daylight... You got some nerves, don't you?!"

"What's wrong? We're friends, right?" As if they already knew that piece of information, except Issei.

"!"

"F-Friends?! SINCE WHEN!?~"

"A couple of days ago... ... At the clinic." He answered honestly, unknowingly causing them to misunderstand the situation.

"C-C-C-Clinic?! Wha- What kind of development did you have with her?!" They were already steaming on their faces. You couldn't know if they're angry or just demanding information.

"Well, we kinda met by accident then we talked before she-" He stopped for a moment before immediately remembering the time when she kissed him by the cheek. For some reason, he find it hard to tell them about it since he feels like he shouldn't share it with them, not to these types of guys at least. Unfortunately, his sudden loss for words got the three thinking of an assumption and it was not long until Matsuda and Motohama were crying their manly tears with each other and Issei cursing his brother from his seat.

"Fuuuuuuck yooooouuuu, Naaatttssssuuu~"

.

.

And the day continued.

* * *

 ** _At the Occult Research Club... ... (Afternoon.)_**

School ended and Natsu went into the old building as ordered since he was informed of the announcement by Akeno. After making his way inside, he was greeted by several familiar people like Kiba and Koneko who were playing chess while waiting. So far, they're the only ones who arrived at the club.

"Good afternoon, Natsu-kun." Kiba greeted.

"Yo! Where is everyone?" He turned to look for their two senpais but it seems like they haven't arrived yet.

"They'll be coming here soon... ... You're not with Issei and Asia today?"

"I took a nap at the rooftop... They're probably getting themselves to know each other."

"I see... Take a seat... I think the club will start a little bit later." Natsu nodded at his request and simply sat at the couch facing the two contenders as he began to look closely at the game they were playing. Remembering about what Rias had told them about having servants that also had a meaning behind choosing several pieces to resurrect them, it's his first time thinking carefully about it since he never really cared about knowing it.

He's human and had nothing to do about the evil pieces. From what he can recall back then, Kiba was supposed to be a knight. Well, it surely fits his character and attitude. Koneko would be the rook which involves inhuman strength and defense and he probably mistook her for a vulnerable girl that time but it seems like that's not the case. Akeno is their queen who stands out most of the rest of the pieces power qualities. He had known of his brother's piece and he's yet to know Asia's piece as well since she recently joined in the peerage after the fight with the fallen angels.

Well, he can all ask about that when they're all here.

.

.

It didn't take long for them to wait for the others as Issei and Asia eventually came inside with the latter delighted to see Natsu upon their arrival. At the same time, Rias and Akeno came to the other side of the room before greeting their fellow club members and settled around the desk.

"I'm glad you're all here... I have some announcements that I wish to share with all of you... First is our welcoming party for our new member, Asia. I knew this is sort of a bit late since Akeno and I had to fix some things regarding about the incident back at the church but we still didn't forget about this so... everyone let's get along together with her..."

A couple of smiles and claps went among the rest of the members as Asia could only shook her head in embarrassment.

"T-Thank you everyone for helping me...!" She repeatedly bowed in sheer shyness which only made the others to smile at her innocent behavior.

"We're glad to have you, Asia-chan." Akeno smiled.

"Yes." Koneko spoke.

"Let's do our best, Asia!" Issei spoke in glee.

And the rest of the conversation went with Asia's celebration of joining the peerage and becoming a devil. Although it's a bit of a stretch for her, she was glad to be able to meet them. Her life has been lively and happy ever since transferring here in Kuoh Academy and lived in the Hyoudou Residence.

"Also, there is another announcement which only concerns the three of you." Rias pointed over to the new members of the club in anticipation.

"Us?" Natsu, Issei and Asia pointed each other in confusion.

"Yes... In the past couple of days, all three of you had been distributing fliers, right?"

"Yes."

"This is the last day for your distribution of fliers."

"Eh? You mean, we're graduating from handing fliers?"

"Of course... Answering the contracts is the main priority of a devil but handing out fliers is only for the familiar's job."

"Familiar?" All three heads glanced at each other in confusion about the new topic.

"That's right... Before that happens, all three of you must have your own familiar."

It was then Natsu raised his hand in question. All eyes eventually turned towards him before he spoke.

"Is it really okay for me? I mean, I'm a human... I don't have any powers to bind a pet or something."

"That's alright... The moment when I placed a Gremory symbol on your hand, little things like forming a contract to people and demon pets are accessible to a normal human, as you are the first ever human to become part of the Gremory clan without being resurrected as a devil." Rias explained but not before long she walked towards the pinkette and lightly pinched his cheek in the process.

"... and might I add, please refrain from burning the symbol again? What if a more dangerous situation arises and we can't help you on the way? Don't you think the gravity of the situation once that happens?"

"Y-Yes! Buchou! I understand..."

The pinching soon ended as Natsu touched his sore cheek gingerly before slowly glancing away with a grumpy look. Akeno simply went beside him with a warm smile.

"Buchou is just worrying about your safety, Natsu-kun... Please understand it for now, alright?"

"I can take care of myself... ..." He snorted in annoyance but cannot make any overt moves against her since she's his senpai and he probably also knew what she meant by that.

Although, he hated to admit but Akeno seemed to have more experience in battles more than he is when it comes to fighting supernatural beings. The last fight was just his luck since he was able to unleash a portion of his power to defeat that annoying fallen angel.

However, as soon as his mind tried to remember back about the events that transpired a few days ago, he also recalled Raynare in the midst of his memories. It's been almost a week since that happened and there has been no attack or whatsoever from any of the factions as of now.

A slight frown found its way into his lips as he gazed towards the window in worry about the missing fallen angel. He doesn't know where she is and he probably assumed that she had no one to turn back into now that she's been betrayed by her supposed comrades and tried to kill her at the very end. Luckily, he was able to intervene and managed to save her just in time but he can't be sure of her safety without knowing her whereabouts.

Akeno soon manages to notice his complicated expression as his energy seemed down than usual.

"Is something wrong?" She asked worriedly.

"It's nothing... Just... ... thinking of something."

But before she could even ask about it, a sudden knock on the door was soon heard as all heads of the people inside turned towards it until Rias answered to it by calling out from afar. The doors leading through the room soon opened and Issei and Natsu simply widened their eyes in surprise after easily recognizing the people coming inside, much to their dismay.

"Please excuse us." The girl leading the group greeting with a formal matter and it was not long until Natsu and Issei were stuttering on their knees after seeing the person right in front of them.

"You are-" Before they could even continue, Asia scooted behind the two as if being cautious all of a sudden.

"Um, who is she?"

"She's the student council president, Shitori Sona-senpai. Next to her is the vice president, Shinra Tsubaki-senpai but it seems like they brought all the members of the student council... I wonder what's wrong." Issei said in confusion.

It was then Rias had begun to speak for the newcomers.

"What brings all of you here?"

A moment of silence ensued for a second until Sona looked towards the crimson-haired girl with anticipation.

"Just a greeting, since both of us have some new servants. I think it would be wise that we should have them know each other better."

"Servants? Don't tell me..." Issei widened his eyes in surprise.

"Her real name is Sona Sitri. She's the heiress apparent of the upper-class Sitri family." Akeno explained.

"There are other devils in this school?" Natsu turned towards the black-haired female in curiosity who simply nodded in response before looking back to the group before them.

.

.

It was then a boy beside Sona whom Natsu didn't know began to speak after hearing their conversation and their obliviousness of the other devils' presence in the school.

"Rias-senpai, you didn't tell him about us? It concerns me of the fact that they don't know their fellow demons." He speaks arrogantly in response to them in which Natsu felt the need to clenched his fist and punch him straight ahead just to keep his steam from blowing over.

However, it was not long until Sona cut him off and tried to explain to him in a composed manner.

"Saji, the two families do not meddle in each other's affairs and that we decided to turn a blind eye with each other for the time being so it's natural for them to not recognize us." The boy named, Saji simply recomposed himself after being lightly scolded by her until Issei finally begins to recognize the boy beside them.

"You're the guy who recently joined the student council as the secretary, right? You must be from Class 2C-"

"Saji Genshirou, my pawn." Sona answered.

"Hyoudou Issei, pawn. This is my bishop, Asia Argento." Rias introduced the two before them and it was not long before Sona turned over to the pinkette in anticipation.

"I've heard that you have a human comrade amongst your ranks who's well aware of the existence of devils and other beings... Is he the one?"

"Yes... Unfortunately, his powers are yet to be identified and seemed to be unlikely that of a Sacred Gear."

"Have you told Maou-sama of this incident?" She inquired.

"Not yet I suppose and I also want to keep this a secret between us since it will stir a lot of attention to him and it would be bad for us if that happens." Rias explained.

"I think so... but I want to ask of why you haven't made him into a devil. Wouldn't be more convenient if he were to use the power of the Evil Pieces?"

"I already told you before... he rejected the piece and by the looks of it, he seemed to worth more than just a couple of pieces. He might even be at Issei's level when it comes to the value. And since I used up all my pawns to Issei, I can't make another servant to compensate for that. Plus, Natsu doesn't fit well with either bishop, knight or rook for that matter.." She shrugged her shoulders after the explanation.

It was then Saji turned to speak.

"W-Wait... This guy got all eight pawns in his sleeve?" He looked over to the brownette in disbelief.

"Yes... After all, he's the possessor of one of the thirteen Longinus, Boosted Gear. I've heard that it's quite a formidable weapon but from the looks of it, he still learning." Sona assumed.

"Yes... Unfortunately, we can't say for sure for Natsu as well... His power remains a mystery but we did have some speculations of how his powers work or its relation."

"And that is?"

"Dragon..." A collective forms of surprise went to the other group as Sona easily composed herself before analyzing of what Rias had said earlier before looking back at the pinkette in curiosity.

"So that makes sense... No wonder why it requires a lot of pieces to resurrect him... The only problem is how he was able to reject them willingly."

"It's not in his own will... Rather, his body automatically rejects it."

"Strange... Well, I guess only time will tell of the reason behind that." She shook her head in content. Natsu scooted beside Akeno in hopes of whispering something.

"Do you really think we can trust them of my secret?" He asked worriedly, feeling a cold aura surrounding the student council president.

"Don't worry... Buchou and Sona have been childhood friends since then and trusted each other completely but there are times where they regarded themselves as rivals but all in all, they're on good terms." Akeno reassured, much to Natsu relief.

.

.

"Anyways, leaving that aside, I hope we can get along with each other in the future, servants of the Gremory household." She gestured Saji towards the newest members of the Occult Research Club as he reached out a hand shake towards Asia with a uncertain look.

"Nice to meet you." He spoke.

"It's nice to meet you too, Saji-san." Asia accepted the handshake and it was not long before his expression turned soft towards Asia as he openly welcomed her greeting with glee. It also didn't take long for Issei to intervene and shook hands with him though he seemed to be pissed just after seeing him near Asia but both of them kept their cool as they discreetly glared at each other, much to the two masters' dismay towards their servants before shaking their heads with a sigh.

.

.

"You really must have it hard too?" Rias smiled in relief.

"Same goes to you too, Rias." Sona sighed in content before turning her attention back to her. "By the way, I also came here about the matter of having my servants get their familiar. You don't happen to have the same objective as mine now, do you?"

"What a coincidence... I also happen to promote Issei and the others in getting their familiars."

"But you do know that the familiar master comes around once a month, right?" Sona inquired.

"Yes."

"And that makes us?"

A light chuckle came from the redhead as she looked towards Sona with an anticipated smirk.

"I knew you were going to say that... Since it's come down to this, why don't we settle this in a duel for the right to commission the pet master this month." As soon as she said that, Sona narrowed her eyes in a serious way.

"Are you talking about a Rating Game?"

"Not really, we're not even given the permission to hold one though."

"True, especially that you have that one problem regarding to your family-"

"That doesn't have to do anything with this." Rias suddenly cut her off with a firm tone but Sona was never fazed by the provocation and decided to back down a bit from that topic. Unknown to her, Akeno noticed her sudden distaste of the topic almost being brought up to them since she knew what Sona was talking about and it's not yet even revealed to the rest of the members of their club although she preferred that it should be this way in order to prevent them from worrying.

After a few seconds, Rias soon recomposed herself and faced the student council president with determination.

"How about this, let's settle the right by having a team battle of dodgeball. Are you okay with that?"

At first Sona tried pondering for a moment before slowly lifting her head to face her once again.

"Since it had come to this, there's no reason for me to turn down the offer, especially when it comes to my rival." Her eyes turned serious all of a sudden that immediately sent chills all over Natsu and Issei's spines just by looking directly at her expression. At the same time, Rias clapped her hands in agreement.

"Then it's decided. We'll settle the battle by tomorrow night!"

* * *

 _ **Hyoudou Residence (Nighttime.) (Few hours later.)**_

"You seemed quite fired up tonight..." Issei spoke nonchalantly as he sat on his seat before gazing towards the pinkette who had been sneaking inside his room to get a copy of his homework as usual though in addition of a very bright expression he was giving.

"Of course, there's going to be a battle tomorrow... I can't wait to beat that Saji-bastard's ass."

"Well, I'll leave it to you then and please, if you're just gonna come here and copy my homework... Just knock on the door instead of coming to my window... Are you a burglar or something?" He sighed in depression of his brother's action.

"I can't do that, you know... Especially with Asia around." Natsu bluntly spoke. It took a few minutes for him to actually realize the real reason of hiding the fact that he was copying someone's homework. Ever since Asia stayed in their residence, Natsu could not make any little schemes like copying and pranking on the neighborhood. If Asia happens to find out about it, she'll scold him like a real big sister in the family and Natsu could not argue with such an innocent person like her.

It was more like she was an invulnerable person to tease or trick since she always put up that sincere smile whenever she meets anyone.

"Anyways, how's your head? It's not hurting often now is it?" After being asked by that, Natsu stopped writing and simply went unmoving for a moment as his mind thought back of his recent headaches that still seemed to occur even after the fight with the fallen angels.

"It does in some occasions. Other than that, I'm feeling okay." He forced a bitter smile, hoping for him to not worry about himself.

The dreams had became more clear to him and the image of the creature that kept appearing in his dreams was in fact a dragon itself. Although, it still tends to ignore him when he asks around inside his dreams, the dragon would continue to utter mysterious chants and words that made no sense to him at all. It was cryptic and full of strange mysteries that made it hard for him to analyze.

Nevertheless, he hoped that it would stop in the next few days. He had a feeling that something big was about to happen again soon.

.

.

"Leaving that aside, what are you doing actually?" Natsu changed the topic as he turned to look over to the desk where Issei was working at, only to find several pieces of white blank cloth and knitting tools.

"Ah, I'm just wondering if I could make some headbands for the club... You know, to boost our morale for the battle tomorrow." He sheepishly replied.

"I see... ... You're really working hard."

"Well, that's one of the things you said to me when we're kids... To be considerate of your friends and also never giving up till the end, right?" As he said that, Natsu could only sport a small grin towards his brother before patting his shoulder in content.

"Now, you're becoming more mature."

"Yeah! It's one step closer to being a harem king!"

"I would've praised you if you didn't mention your goal. Issei." Natsu sighed once more, seeing that he hasn't changed at all despite learning everything from him. Well whatever, he was glad that Issei is becoming more responsible for his friends, at least.

.

.

"Hey, Natsu..." It was then Issei begun to speak.

"Yeah?"

"We're going to win this! For Buchou!"

"Yeah."

The two brothers smiled at each other and resumed their work for the night and it didn't take long before Asia came in as well to hang out with them. And the rest of the night was spent on Issei's room with the three happily conversing with each other like a real family.

* * *

 _ **The next day... (Kuoh Academy Gym.) Nighttime.**_

It was already the fated day. The battle for the right of commissioning the pet master this month is about to begin. Rias together with the rest of the Occult Research Club members waited patiently for their opponents as they went on for a quick warm-up exercise inside. All of them have their own separate practice sessions while some helped out the other to stretch their arms and legs for a better warm-up.

Rias and Kiba were practicing catching ball, Akeno was busy helping out Asia to stretch out her legs since she was not suited for any strong sport games like this however, she had no choice but to participate for the sake of getting their familiar this month. Natsu, Issei and Koneko were simply jogging around the gym to work on their legs.

"So we're battling those student council guys, huh?" Natsu trailed off in thought.

"Natsu-senpai?" Koneko turned over to him in confusion.

"I-It's nothing... I'm just wondering if there's going to be any use of magic."

"There is." She bluntly spoke.

"I wonder what would happen if both sides tried to use magic against their opponents." Issei asked.

"Widespread destruction." Koneko spoke with a blank look.

"Great..." Both two boys drawled lazily. But before they could even continue, Issei soon grabbed something on his pocket before presenting them to the two. Koneko simply blinked her eyes in confusion of the headbands presented to her.

"What is this?"

"It's a headband for our club... Issei kinda made them last night in order to boost our morale for the night so... ... might as well take it, Koneko." Natsu offered. At first, the white haired girl stood for a moment before smiling in relief as she took one of the headbands and looked towards the brownette with a warm smile.

"Thank you, Issei-senpai."

"No problem... I'm going to distribute this with the others... Wait for me!" He sprinted towards the others and presented the headbands to them. Natsu and Koneko simply stood there smiling in content at the sight.

.

.

"Ne, Natsu-senpai." It was then Koneko started to speak.

"Hmm?"

"Issei-senpai is unusual kind."

"Is that so? I think he's been like that ever since... ... It's just his perverted nature gets in the way of his kindness."

"You're right." She trailed off in thought.

"But you know, he's still the kind of person who would fight for his friends when the situation calls for it." He grinned.

"Are you also the same, Natsu-senpai?" She turned over to her pink-haired senior in curiosity.

"Of course, even if they turned out to be devil, angel or even fallen angel for that matter, I'll save them no matter what." He declared which only surprised the girl for a moment before reverting back to her usual stoic expression before lightly smiling.

"I guess so..."

..

..

..

Another few minutes has passed and the long awaited opponent has finally arrived on the scene with Sona together with her peerage. Both sides glared at each other in determination before finally starting their lineups of the game. Unfortunately, Rias got the short draw and went on the first team to be on the center of carnage as they all position themselves in the middle while being surrounded by their opponents as they're the ones throwing the ball first.

"START!"

After the whistle, one of the girls simply used their enhanced strengths to throw the ball towards them. Natsu barely dodged the ball aimed straight to his face before glaring back to the girl who threw the ball.

"Hey! Are you going to kill me?! I'm a human here!"

"Natsu, stay focused." Rias reminded before motioning back as the ball returned to other side in which Tsubaki got a hold of it before glowing herself in magical power.

"Take this! Sitri-style demonic throw!" A symbol appeared right behind her as she threw her ball towards Rias in blinding speed as the redhead simply smiled in determination before positioning herself to catch the ball head-on.

The impact soon followed as Rias was slightly pushed but not long before having part of her clothes torn due to the intense force of the throw.

"As expected of my rival... To think that you would be able to catch Tsubaki's full throw head-on." Sona praised.

"Who do you think I am!" Rias started to throw the ball back to them but not long before she used her magic as well that simply turned the ball into a red beam of fire in which one of the girls tried to catch but was unable due to the powerful force drawn into it. As a result, she flew back but not before long her clothes started to burn as well.

Natsu and Issei simply gawked at the scene as they're beginning to see the entire game turning into some kind of battlefield. Magic circles and deadly balls were thrown from both sides that could either break a bone or two. And they were sure to see one of them got sent away from the gym, breaking its glass in the process.

"This is really getting out of hand!" Issei screamed in panic.

"I don't really get what game are they trying to put at but if it means war, I'll just have to fight as well." Picking up a ball beside him, Natsu coated it in flames before locking it towards Saji who was unaware of the situation.

"Here I go, Fire Dragon's Flaming Ball Attack!"

"Gaaaah-"

As fast as the eye could see, a screaming agony of pain resounded through the gym as the ball smashed towards Saji's back and merely sent him flying away towards the glass and eventually flew away out of the gym before crashing outside.

"YEAH!" Natsu and Issei pumped fists together in triumph.

And the battle continues.

..

..

..

In the end, the fight was left unsettled as both groups have suffered casualties from the deadly game. Everyone is recovering from the game after taking too much hits of the balls that was sent to them, causing some of their bones to crack as a result. Of course, Natsu and Issei were also the ones who were caught up in the fight. The only remaining ones unharmed is Rias, Akeno, and Asia together with Sona and Tsubaki who miraculously survived the onslaught of the dodgeball fight.

"I guess, we lose then?" Sona tried counting the number of people standing before them.

"We didn't even know what we're trying to accomplish... Who wins against who?" Rias sighed.

"Nevertheless, I think you earned the right this time, Rias... But if it was a Rating Game, I'll definitely not lose."

"I could say the same to you... I won't let my childhood friend get the best of me."

Both of the them smiled at each other and before long the two student council members lightly bowed their heads before them before Sona turned over to the recovering pinkette with anticipation before looking back to the three.

"Well, then excuse us. We'll take our leave from here."

And with that, the two girls simply went on to pick up their comrades and Asia, Natsu and Issei were quite surprised to see that they're able to carry all of their members unto their shoulders that easily.

Some devil girls they are.

Oh well, the contest was finally over and the winner was declared to the Occult Research Club for reasons unknown. The group eventually celebrated their victory back at the old school building as they all prepared a toast with each other. All of them had changed back to their school uniform and began to celebrate throughout the night.

.

.

"Cheers!" Voices of the members resounded through the silent room as the group lightly tapped their glasses towards each other before drinking. Issei and Natsu formed around with the others and shared their talks and conversations as they awaited their time for a familiar contract that will happen any time soon.

"Congratulations... everyone. The Occult Research Club has successfully defeated the student council! And we all owe it to everyone for doing their best!" Rias declared with a warm smile.

"I don't even know what we're doing back then... All we did is to throw as much power we can to knock them out cold, right?" Natsu sweatdropped.

"Let's leave all the small details... Regardless of what happened, we won." She spoke with a proud expression. The others went along with the flow and Natsu could only sigh before smiling in content.

"Plus, we were more fired up since you made these headbands for us... It shows how much we're quite serious in getting that victory against them." Natsu perked up.

"Yes." The others agreed as well as they all smiled at the brownette who could only make a sheepishly reply towards them.

"Anyway, we cannot stay lazy for that long. We're still in the middle of a task. It's time for the three of you to get your familiars." It was then Rias began to speak once more.

"E-Eh? Right now?" Issei spoke doubtfully.

"Yes... The familiar master only appears on nights during a full moon. That's why he always comes around once a month. This is the right time to talk to him in getting your desired familiars."

"I see."

After a few moments, Akeno soon summoned a magic circle near the door entrance as she stood at the center before looking back to the others with a smile.

"Let's go everyone..."

"Yes!"

* * *

Natsu still couldn't get used on the jumps the group always do when performing a task. He can't really explain it but for some reason, he slightly feels lightheaded and dizzy upon doing one. He wasn't always like that before he got his powers during their encounter with the fallen angels.

It's like he feels a sudden wave of nausea whenever he tried doing one magic jump from the circle.

With the group walking towards an unknown forest, he simply tagged along with them, hoping to find this so-called Familiar Master that everyone's been referring to. The place seemed dark with a full red moon shining above them, showing off a red landscape of a desolate forest that could not see any life from afar.

Although it was the place where the previous devils get their familiars or pets, the place is seemingly teeming with a deathly presence where life is absent within it. Not a single soul can be seen from all around.

"Are you sure that we got the right place to jump into?" Natsu couldn't help but ask.

"Yes... This is it. Although it may seemed unlikely, this is where we all picked up our pets." Kiba explained.

"But I don't see anything or anyone moving around... It's like a dead forest." Issei added and not before long Rias decided to intervene.

"Well, we must find the Familiar Master first... He knows all kinds of pets and can pinpoint their location or home."

"Do we need to fight him?" Akeno giggled upon the pinkette's answer until the crimson-haired princess looked towards him in reassurance.

"No... He will guide us in taking the right pet to bind with... Devils and familiars needed to be bonded like real friends and partners. They can even assist you in times of need."

"Ah, I see... ... I can't wait."

"However, we can't proceed on finding a pet without the familiar master... Before the moon changes, we need to meet him right away."

"Speaking of which, there he is." Natsu pointed over to the branch above them as all eyes turned towards it before recognizing a lanky man wearing a white t-shirt, accompanied by a yellow backpack that is held upon his shoulders. He also wears a pair of brown shorts with a blue cloth wrapped around his waist. A hat is seen worn on his head in an opposite manner. The others could only stare at him for a few seconds before speaking.

"Ummm. Are you the familiar master?" Issei asked.

"I'm surprised to see that someone was able to notice me at an early time... That's the best record yet." He spoke in a lively tone.

"Riiiigggghhhttt." Natsu drawled.

"Hoh, a human?! Well, well. It's my first time seeing a human going out here in the familiar's forest." He landed down from the tree and into the ground before looking towards the pinkette in curiosity.

"He's a special member... But he's under the protection of my clan so there's no harm in bringing him along."

"It's not that I'm suspecting somebody... It's just that it's quite a new development on my part. To see a human being here- Oh, I haven't introduced myself, have I?" The man laughed for a moment before recomposing himself and faced the entire group. "I'm Familiar Master, Zatouji... What a lovely full moon tonight. A perfect night for hunting familiars, isn't it?"

"Haaa." Natsu sweatdropped.

"With me by your side, you can get any pet you want!"

"Hoh, so are there any cute familiars? Female humanoid ones?!"

"Give me a familiar that'll fetch me a lot of food!

Both Natsu and Issei shouted their desired qualities for their familiars but Zatouji could only put up a disapproving wave at their choices.

"Your choices are nothing but shallow. A familiar should be strong and brave. A familiar that can help you during your battles and take advantage of the situations." He advised.

.

.

"Umm. I also would like a cute familiar." It was then Asia asked for her choice of quality for her familiar.

"Alright, dear!" Zatouji suddenly changed his expression upon talking to her which only made the other two pissed.

"HEY!"

"Anyways, we can all talk more about them along the way so we should keep moving. The night isn't gonna stay forever and a lot of familiars maybe returning to their homes soon before the next phasing." The others nodded in which they soon began their journey along the path with the familiar master leading them in the front. Rias and the others simply followed from behind as the three walked together on the middle.

While talking about familiars, Natsu remembered something that he wanted to ask as he slowed his pace and went beside Akeno who slightly tilted her head in confusion.

"Umm, can I ask something, Akeno-senpai?"

"Sure.. What is it?"

"Back at the discussion with those student council people... Sona-senpai mentioned something about a Rating Game... Do you know what that is?"

"Ara, ara... ... You catch up sooner than Buchou expected. I think that will be the next step in learning about the devils' culture... It's more of a recent activity. Basically, it's a game decided upon two pure-blooded devils as they use their pieces to fight for them to ensure victory."

"Pieces?"

"Do you remember the evil pieces that we taught for you?"

"You mean those little chess-like pieces used in reviving my brother or reincarnating humans into devils?"

"That's right! In a Rating Game, it's somewhat similar to chess and the King will have to use his pieces or servants to fight for him."

"Like a duel or something?" He asked.

"More than a duel... It involves teamwork, skill, tactic, power and quick thinking in every aspect of the game itself. Right now, Buchou still has a spare rook and knight on her hands which makes her pieces still incomplete."

"Can I join somehow?" He asked with an expectant look.

"I can't say for sure about that. Rating Games only specializes with pure-blooded devils with their chosen pieces. If there's going to be an additional member to join, it'll have to go through the system in permitting you to join."

"I see... So it needs a permission from the organizers, huh?"

"Pretty much like it. But why do you ask?"

"Curious."

As they were about to continue their conversation, Zatouji finally stopped in his tracks as the group followed as well until all of them looked at him in confusion.

"What's up? Why are we stopping?" Issei looked at the familiar master in confusion.

"Look over there." He pointed over to a tall branch infront of them. Everyone followed his direction until they widened their eyes in surprise after seeing a creature gazing over to the distance. It was a blue creature, resembling that of a dragon with small wings rested on its back. It's head was shaped like a triangular fashion with a pointed snout and a pair of eyes that can see through distances as far as a human can see.

"Is that-"

"That's right... It's a Sprite Dragon. It's a very rare species that come out during the hunt."

"It's so cute!" Asia spoke in delight.

"Now is the best chance to catch it... Once it matures, it'll be hard to tame and will become just like other violent dragons."

"Well, Issei certainly has some dragon powers in him... It'll be a perfect familiar for him, right?" Akeno noted. It was not long until he nodded at her words before looking back at the rare familiar with determination.

"Alright! Sprite Dragon! By my right as your master, you shall become my- Gwwuoo!"

He stopped momentarily as he suddenly saw green slimes hailing down towards them without warning as they cling unto the girl's body which caused them to be left by surprise. The boys were simply shocked as they were also reigned down only to their eyes, causing them to obscure their visions.

"Wha- What the hell is this!?" Natsu shouted in surprise.

"Slime?!"

"Iyaaaan~" A moaning sound soon caught both Natsu and Issei's attention as they all turned in complete shock at Rias who is also covered in slime although the places they were clinging into was rather in some inappropriate areas.

"B-Buchou?!"

Not only that, another moan was heard as Akeno was also in the same state as their President. Koneko is pretty much the same with the same expression despite having herself in such an embarrassing situation. No one sure knows when the slime appeared but it looks pretty hostile to them though not in a bad way as it slowly melts all the girls' clothes much to their dismay and embarrassment.

As it continued, the clothes eventually melted, leaving only the girls with nothing but partially melted panties. Although he didn't notice it but a small streak of blood came out from Natsu's nose after seeing a woman's boobs for the first time though he couldn't tell himself to be aroused or not. His obliviousness is just stronger than his natural instinct to be attracted to the opposite sex.

"No!" Asia shrieked.

"Ara, ara... How indecent!~"

Natsu couldn't tell if Akeno was really distressed or not, seeing her getting into the flow with the others. Seriously, he couldn't tell either way. Turning back to the familiar master, Natsu pointed out his curiosity on the mysterious slime.

"So, is this also a familiar?"

"It's a creature who loves to eat clothing, especially that of a female." He bluntly replied.

"WHAT KIND OF FAMILIAR WOULD EXIST AS USELESS AS THAT?!"

"There are just some things that are out in the ordinary, my boy..." Zatouji shook his head in deep thought, unaware of the situation unfolding before his companions. Natsu sighed yet again before looking back to Issei.

"So Issei, what are you going to d-" Natsu stopped for a moment as he took a step back after seeing his brother's widened smile. It's the same smile he would always wear when something perverted comes around.

"Wha... What a beautiful turn of events! Buchou! I'm claiming this one as my pet!"

"T-That's not advisable! A pet can make his master submit to him if it becomes to hard to control!" Rias managed to speak.

"This is the best familiar that I've encountered so far! We're destined with each other, Buchou!"

.

.

"Natsu... ... Burn the slime."

"Eh?" Issei stopped for a moment before looking back at the pinkette.

"Sure thing!" Clasping himself in flames, Natsu instantaneously coated everyone in the sea of fire as the slime clinging unto them were incinerated in an instant as Natsu bursts a surge of fire energy from his body before slowly dissipating and eventually called off the flames, leaving only burned patches of slimes in the vicinity, much to Issei's shock.

"NOOOOOOO! Slime-taro! You can't die yet! You're my hope!" He cried out in horror, holding the burnt slime in his hands while tearing up in a comical way.

"I've never seen such a devil would want something so useless." Zatouji sighed.

"Forgive me of my brother's perverted nature... ... He's just a little too honest with his desires." Natsu apologized.

"I feel sorry for Natsu-senpai." Koneko added.

.

.

"You bastard! Why did you kill Slime-taro?!" It was then Issei stood up in irritation towards Natsu with an intense glare.

"Buchou said so..."

"He was my fated partner! I won't get any second chance for this! Slime-taro was a unique familiar and you had to just kill it!"

"What's with the name? Come on, there are other plenty of familiars out there which probably better than a slime. Get over it!" Natsu retorted.

"He was the best!" Issei snorted.

"No, he's not!" Natsu sneered.

"Idiot!"

"Pervert!"

"Virgin!"

"I don't even know what do you mean by that?!"

Issei and Natsu were already butting their heads together as if they were about to trade blows any second now. It's the first time everyone from the club to see both brothers bicker at one another over a useless matter. Asia was also beginning to worry since the two were getting serious about their fight now.

"I always hated your guts." Issei retorted.

"Well, I'm tired of having a brother with perverted thoughts! A shame!" Natsu snickered.

"Please calm down the two of you..." Asia tried to dissuade the growing argument between them but the two seemed won't able to budge this time.

.

.

"Hihi~" While in the middle of an argument, Natsu and Issei eventually stopped bickering as they heard a light chuckle coming from behind the trees as they all turned towards a broken trunk and not before long they noticed some sort of a cat's tail waving behind it.

"A tail?" Natsu spoke.

"Hiiiieee-" The voice soon turned into distress as he spoke and not before long he tried to walk his way behind it and eventually saw widened his eyes in surprise after seeing the creature hiding behind the dead trunk.

It was a blue cat, seemingly walking on two legs, much like a humanoid being but still a feline. He was covered in blue furs with a white belly on the center. He also seemed to be wearing a green backpack tied up on his back as if he was some sort of traveler.

He was still chuckling from behind, unaware that Natsu already found him.

"Are you the one laughing behind us?"

"Aaaaaaah!" After saying that, the cat could only scream in shock and surprise as he began to unfurl his wings and flew away form the pinkette who could only jawdrop at the presence of his wings.

"W-Wings? You have wings?!"

Everyone soon noticed the flying cat and Zatouji could only narrow his eyes in suspicion about the mysterious creature flying above them. It was not long until the Sprite Dragon came hovering above them together with the flying cat with a very alarming look.

"Well, this is quite unexpected... To think that we'd stumble unto the two rarest species of familiars in this part of the forest."

"Huh?"

"That flying one is called an Exceed. They're beings who lived on a floating island called Extalia. However, Extalia only comes orbiting around this part of the forest once in ever 50 years."

"What's an Exceed? Is that what they used to call me?" It was then the mysterious cat spoke and it didn't take long for everyone to widened their eyes in surprise after hearing it speaking.

"It spoke?!"

"What? Is it really weird for cats to speak? It's not like we're all dumb." It huffed in irritation.

"It's not like that... It's just pretty new to us. To see a cat with wings and can speak like a human."

"Well, that's my specialty!" He spoke proudly.

On the other hand, Issei turned to whisper again towards the familiar master in curiosity.

"So what do they actually do around here?"

"Most of them lived peacefully on Extalia. They cared nothing about the other creatures living on the earth. The only reason for such an Exceed to drop by here is probably they got separated and eventually got lost here before Extalia orbits out of the forest."

"So in other words-"

"He's a lost Exceed."

.

.

"Hey, don't pity on me! I can take care of myself! Plus, I still have Sprite-kun here with me!" The Exceed said with a firm tone as the Sprite Dragon circled beside him in defense.

"I see... So you two are going on a journey together?" Natsu guessed.

"Yes!"

"Then why don't you tag along with us?

"What?"

"I'm Natsu Dragneel... These are my friends! We're looking for familiars in this part of the forest so they can help us along the way... Are you two by any chance interested?" Everyone could only look at the pinkette in disbelief, seeing that he's actually urging them to join them instead of capturing them the usual way in getting a familiar. Even Zatouji was surprised as well but made no overt moves between him and the two familiars.

At first, the Exceed and the Sprite Dragon turned to look at each other for a moment as if they were talking about it since the latter seemed to be making some weird noises. A few minutes of talking about the request, the two eventually nodded in response before looking back at the pinkette with anticipation.

"Sprite-kun says so... I guess I can't deny anything from him now." A collective of smiles appeared on the group as they were able to convinced the two familiars to join their side.

"That's great! Anyways, which one are you going to pick, Issei?" It was then Natsu turned towards the brownette.

"Of course, it's obvious that I'll choose Sprite Dragon... Now, as your devil master, I shall make you my- Guuuhhaaaaa-" A zapping attack cut off the brownette from finishing his statement as the Sprite Dragon opened its snout before letting out a blue lightning attack on him before landing safely towards Asia's shoulders. Rias and the others could only look in surprise at the development before smiling.

"I guess, the Sprite Dragon chose Asia."

"Ara, ara... Good work, Asia-chan!"

On the other hand, Asia could only smile in delight at the dragon before cuddling him closer to her as if it was a stuffed toy.

"Cute~"

"He is only violent in defense which means, he must've thought that the boy was attacking blondie." Zatouji explained.

"Well, I guess that sums up Asia's chosen familiar now is it?"

After a few moments, everyone now turned to Natsu and the Exceed who were watching from behind.

"I guess, you should go about making him your familiar, Natsu-kun." Akeno smiled.

"You mean with him?" Natsu pointed over to the Exceed for clarification. Everyone nodded in response except for Issei who was still knocked out. The pinkette took a few seconds to think carefully about it before looking back at the cat who was being uncertain about what they're talking earlier.

"What's a familiar?"

"It's sorta a ritual to bind someone to do the other's bidding."

"Are you going to make me a familiar?" He said in fear.

..

..

"Actually, I thought of a better way." He smiled before crouching down to him and patted his head in reassurance. "Today, you'll be my partner."

"Partner?"

"You're not going to bind him?!" Everyone said in disbelief towards the pinkette.

"Of course not... Didn't you hear me earlier? We're all taking a journey together. How can I enjoy it when I can't have him tagging along freely without restraints?" Rias and the others simply widened their eyes in surprise at his words as they all stopped speaking for a moment and took a more careful thinking about what he said to them.

"The first time I saw a human here and then this one too, huh? Boy, you sure have a lot of surprises in one night. To think that I'd see the day that someone will tag a familiar along without binding him. He might escape from here, you know." Zatouji warned.

"Well, it's his choice of doing so... Everyone has a choice to make. Plus, I believe he would never run away from us. After all, he's a lost Exceed. What better way to adopt him, right?"

.

.

.

"WWWWHHHHHHAAAAAATTTTTTT?!" Everyone felt the need to rephrase of what he said. Adopting a familiar? Now that's something new. Everyone except Zatouji were already having lifeless expressions as they looked at the pinkette in disbelief.

"Hahaha! You're an interesting kid, I give you that! It's decided then, he'll become your famili- erm... partner that is." Zatouji laughed.

"Oh by the way, I didn't get your name." Natsu then turned over to the Exceed in question.

"I don't have a name." He smiled despite his answer.

"I see... ... Will Happy be okay?"

"Happy?"

"You were always smiling despite being abandoned. Even keeping an optimistic look despite knowing that you're lost. That's why I thought of that to name you." The Exceed could only look at him in wonder until a small smile crept its way on his lips as he happily accepted the name before flying towards him for an embrace.

"Happy! I like the sound of that!"

"Nice to meet you, Happy!"

* * *

 **A/N: And stop! That's the wrap for this chapter and then we're on to the Riser Arc.**

 **Oh some reminders. It's clarification about the poll votes for Natsu harem. I only said about the girls who will surely join in his harem no closing it entirely. I only chose three because I gave you guys three choices but that's not gonna end him from getting any suggestion for suitable girls for him. As of now, the only sure to join is Akeno, Rossweisse, Kuroka and possibly Raynare. The latter will have to come around in the later chapters. It's not that far though.**

 **Also, for the chapter, I'd like the idea of tagging Happy along and tweaking Extalia's history in the Familiar World and I'd rather have the idea of keeping him free from any contracts and become Natsu's all time partner on his journeys in this story so that's about that.**

 **I guess, there's nothing to say anymore other than thanking you all guys for reading this chapter and also for supporting this story. Kudos to everyone giving me your opinions. It was a heartfelt appreciation coming from me. It gives me motivation! :)**

 **The story is far from over so there will be a lot of revelations and twist coming up in the rest of the chapter. Who knows? Even Tiamat might give an appearance sooner than you all expected, hehe... And that's coming from me, hue hue (Spoilers. LOL)**

 **Anyways, I'll see you again on the next chapter. It's Riser beating time!**

 **\- wiErD SpeCtrumz blacking out... ... ...**


	10. Phenex Appears

**A/N: Greetings, guys... wiErD here. As promised we'll be moving at the Riser arc.**

 **As of right now, I have a big announcement with you guys... After rereading all the chapters in one go, I noticed a sense of restriction between the girls and Natsu and Issei altogether just because of the poll I made up. Don't get me wrong, it was a good idea but pitting in girls to harems gives them an invisible barrier and that one cannot even talk to the other just because she was selected to the other harem itself.**

 **I know everyone is happy to know that you got your favorite girls on the right harem but I can't help the feeling that they're being locked down to the harem circle of Natsu and Issei. When I tried comparing Asia position in the harem (which was neutral.), I saw her character fleshed out more than the others. This is why even Rias and Akeno could not exactly do the same since they were being on the place of the harems of both two.**

 **In order to solve that, I decided to void the poll from now on. There would be no more harem sides but the harem remains for the two at least. It will be only me who will give the girls the time to expose their feelings and also the decision to place them on what harem I would want them to depending on the flow on the story. So I'm sorry for those who voted on Natsu and Issei's harem polls. However, I'll try to give them some more time to their respective harem sides, seeing that the poll is not a wasted time after all.**

 **There's always a silver lining on everything... (Is that right?) 0_0**

 **Without further ado, let's get it on with the chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own FT and HSDxD. Credit goes to their respective owners/authors.**

* * *

 **\- Phenex Appears -**

Kouh Academy is as lively as ever, as the students roam around during lunch, talking about lifestyles and other normal things that a teenager would actually do. There's little to care about anything than enjoying their time of youthful prosperity.

Basically, it's all about enjoying your life while it lasts. Well, to most of them that is.

Natsu had never really cared about enjoying his life that often, seeing that he finds it boring to do so. I mean, what's the gig about going out in stores with your friends, talking about cheesy stuff and sometimes hanging out with other girls while acting so cool in front of them? He could never understand any of it since he had a pretty rough life every now and then.

Yes. The life of meeting supernatural beings that don't reveal themselves in the eyes of other unsuspecting humans. Ever since, he and Issei were brought to the other side of world, things have gone pretty hard for them to cope up to its everyday activities.

Even after the events back at the Familiar Forest, he still can't get a single rest since he, Issei and Asia have been doing some contract summoning in order to expand their powers, well at least for the last two that is.

He's still human and the benefits he can only get from the devils is a familiar and a symbol that will help him teleport in the same Gremory symbol jump with the others. Without it, he can't come along with them in cases of emergency.

Sighing to himself, Natsu yawned for a bit on his desk before resting his head in peace.

Sleeping is the best pleasure a human can really get in his lifetime. Issei has a different notion of expressing his desired pleasure together with Matsuda and Motohama.

Yup, he don't need to remind himself of that.

Just as he was about to close his eyes again to sleep for the whole break, a soft plushy feeling rested upon his head as he slowly looked up and eventually saw his new partner.

"What are you doing, Happy?" He said nonchalantly.

"Oh, nice to see you here, Natsu." The blue Exceed spoke in glee.

"Rather than greeting me, should you at least warn me when you're coming or not." There was a slight displeased tone written on his voice.

"Even if you say that, you won't let me come outside... I'm tired of staying too long in the house." He whined in response.

"There's no helping it... I didn't make you a familiar but Rassei was taken by Asia as her familiar. You can't visit him every now and then unless Asia permits him to."

"Rassei? Is that the new name for Sprite-kun?"

"Yeah, I'm surprised you didn't hear of it until now."

"Well, I get forgetful sometimes." He noted.

"Anyways, should you be okay hanging around like this? You do know that there are people around... If they see you, they will-"

"Don't worry, I can hide my presence from anyone who comes into contact in me. Right now, everyone will probably think that you're talking to some invisible being." Happy explained.

"I see... All the more reason for me to not talk to you right now."

"Eeeeeh! Come on, Natsu... I'm bored, let's go somewhere other than this place." He whined.

"I can't think of any place to go, Happy... Unless Buchou has something in mind about introducing more tests to us, then I'll be sure to go as well. Hopefully, it would be a fight." He spoke nonchalantly.

"Aye! Go get 'em, Natsu!"

Only a small grin made its way towards the pinkette's lips after seeing his partner's gleeful expression as he flew around with his wings around him while being able to conceal himself from the eyes of unsuspecting humans around them. Life in school have been so lively for him nowadays with Happy entering their lives.

Glancing towards the window beside him, he turned to gaze on the old school building where their club activities were usually held. He can't wait for the school to end.

...

...

...

It was already in the afternoon and the group once again assembled right at the old school building to hold their usual meetings with each other. With Natsu holding onto Happy, Asia holds onto Rassei with a affectionate hug while Issei slightly moped around the corner, seeing himself unable to bring out a familiar on their graduation.

Even Natsu was able to get a partner despite him not being a devil. It's kinda frustrating for him, at least.

Well putting that aside, Kiba and the others were all waiting for Rias to get into their room to discuss their matters once again.

"What'll you think is she going to announce?" Issei leaned over to Natsu in question.

"Dunno... Hopefully, it would be a Stray Devil extermination." Natsu smiled in thought.

"Damn, you really like fighting, aren't you?"

While they were talking, Rias eventually made her appearance on the other side of the door of the old school building and greeted her members.

"Good day to you all... I trust the day has found you all well."

"Yes, of course." Issei immediately answered.

"I see... Then, let us review all the reports about the contracts you three have done in the past couple of days..." She soon went to scrutinize each papers she had beside her desk. It took only a few moments for her to finish as she placed them down on the same place and revealed the results.

"Asia had three contracts on her first job as a devil...Congratulations, not all devils can actually get that much contracts on their first try. Issei got one contract. That's still an improvement. And lastly, Natsu... ... You had none."

Instead of having disappointed looks on the other people's faces, they could only sigh wearily at the outcome. After all, it's expected to be like that since it has been the same result over the past couple of days even after his joining in the Gremory household.

"Ara, ara..." Akeno could only muse in response to his results.

"Aye... That's Natsu for you!" Happy cheered as he was the only one who had the optimistic side.

Turning back to the list of papers beside her, Rias looked at the comments and remarks of the people who were answered by his contract in the past couple of days. So far, they all have complaints against him since his contract always left a burning trail of furniture or other property that made them so angry towards him.

"The reactions of the people you came into contact with were all beyond normal... They wanted compensation for the damage of their property, you know." She reminded.

Even so, Natsu was able to come up with a toothy grin towards his friends before sheepishly apologizing for his poor efforts.

"Ehehehe... ... Sorry."

On the other hand, Asia and Issei could look at the pinkette in surprise just after realizing his current progress.

"Woah... You really did get that on your contracts, Natsu?" Issei asked in confusion.

"Natsu-san... That's not good." Even Asia disapproves of his destructive methods.

Despite their protests, Natsu laughed in response in which everyone soon began to join afterwards.

.

.

While the conversation between the three soon took over their attention, Rias and the others could only sigh in depression. However, the redhead soon replaced her frown with a faint smile as she gazed momentarily at the pinkette in wonder. Despite all the negative comments about his actions on his contracts, he never puts up a depressing attitude.

Rather, he would just laugh it off and apologize soon after. And then it would be followed with laughter and joy with his friends. It is as if she was feeling something unusual inside the pinkette's heart.

It was a strange feeling indeed.

For him to be able to cope up with mistakes and just passed it off with a smile in which everyone would seemed to accept in response, it was a good feeling for some reason.

His smile and his actions pull people towards him and strengthen their bonds over time.

It was her first time witnessing the atmosphere of her household this lively. Ever since having both Natsu and Issei into their lives, things have been quite noisy for some reason. Not in an annoying sense but rather in a different one in which they seemed to like it even more.

Even so, the way he's doing the job is nothing like serious.

Sighing to herself inwardly, Rias could only sport a small smile from her lips before putting away all the papers and looked back at the three with anticipation.

"Well, I guess that sums up all the announcements for our clubs today... Tomorrow, we would probably try something new for you guys to learn more about being a devil, alright?"

"Yes!" They all answered in unison.

"Then, that ends our club meeting for today... Be sure to rest easy and get all your strength for tomorrow. We have a big day ahead of us." She smiled.

Another few minutes has passed and the other club members, including Kiba and Koneko had gone home, leaving only Akeno and Rias back at the room with the former finalizing the paperwork handed down to her before looking back at her President who had been observing from the window where Natsu, Issei and Asia had went off to.

"You seemed pretty well today, Buchou." She spoke first.

"What makes you say that?"

"Hmm, how would I say it... Well, you seemed happier than before at a time when we're still dealing with the recruitment. Is it because of those two?" She quirked a brow in curiosity.

"I guess somewhere between that line." She muttered.

"I see... ... Although, it may be rude for me to say something like this at this time but, isn't it about time we should tell the them about your situation?" She hesitated since this was a very sensitive subject to her alone.

And in just like that, Rias' expression turned almost immediately to worry as she bit her lip for a moment before trying to recompose herself towards the topic.

"Not yet, Akeno... ... I don't want them to worry about something as trivial as this. There's still a lot of time to think about it." She replied with a firm tone.

"That maybe so... But sooner or later, they might eventually find out about it... especially Natsu." Hearing the name of the pinkette, Rias could only tighten her grip on her shoulders for a moment before looking back at the black-haired girl in confusion.

"What makes you say that?"

"Nothing really but he's the kind of person who knows what's going on between his friends, even if they're troubled or not. And I'm pretty sure, he would be the first one to understand the situation if he ever knows about the truth. And it would not be him alone, Issei and Asia are quite the same. And I'm certain that Kiba and Koneko felt the same also..." She paused.

".. I mean, you're their precious president after all. Servants served for one sole purpose right? To fight and protect their king at all costs."

Rias could not find a way to reply at her queen for a moment as her words seemed to impact her greatly despite being on the tight spot. She understands of what Akeno was trying to say and her words towards her friends are also real. She knew them for a long time and they will surely fight to the end for her sake. That also goes for the same as Natsu and the others.

Akeno could see her doubts and could only smile inwardly before standing and decided to face her for a moment.

"I know it's hard for you to do anything but you just cannot let your own troubles bottled only to you... You have me here, Rias. Everyone is here with you. Don't go facing your problems on your own. At least, let us carry that burden together with you. You're not alone in this fight."

There was no other reply for her say about that as she simply smiled in relief before stifling a light chuckle and looked at her best friend with a renewed gaze.

"I guess, I can't deny your advice that easily... Thank you, Akeno."

The black-haired girl could only nod in response before they finally settled themselves again from the room and decided to finish up their last duties before going home.

It only took a few hours as Akeno finally finished her work and bade farewell to Rias before closing the door in front of her and disappeared on sight. The interior has become eerily quiet as she slowly wandered all over the room, taking a deep and careful thought about the moments she experienced alongside with her household, including Natsu.

"Not alone, huh..." She thought out her friend's words back then and could only sport a smile before slowly gazing at the setting sun at the window.

..

..

After a few moments, a mysterious magical circle suddenly appeared near the front door as Rias turned around cautiously before a figure appeared at the center and eventually walked a few paces towards her to reveal her identity.

It only took a few seconds for her to realize the person in front of her and could only stutter in response.

"G-Grayfia-san."

* * *

 _ **Hyoudou Residence... ...**_

After being handed out with some assignments from the class, Natsu had to inevitably start off writing his own work from now on since Asia always finds out about his copying schemes from Issei and eventually had to stop in order to respect the girl. Well, she's part of the family and one of his treasured friends together with Rias and the others and judging from her somewhat innocent personality, he just can't go fooling around anymore.

Taking a slow take on reading the page of his book, Natsu tried to drill all those words he had seen in the context as hard as he can but it was useless. He just can't learn to understand them unless he likes it. And all of his subjects were boring. It's a miracle that he actually made it this far in this grade together with his brother.

Sighing inwardly to himself, the pinkette simply closed the book and slumped down on his chair before looking up to the ceiling to recollect his thoughts.

How long has it been ever since his meeting with Rias and the others? He could only wonder at that thought as his mind calmed down for a second and slowly remembered all the times he had been through.

The dreams that he kept having on his sleep, the death battles that he encountered like never before and new friends that he met along the way.

All these things changed him in many ways. With an unknown power inherited to him, he felt many things on how he was different from what he was before during in his past life as a normal student.

Lifting up his right hand before him, Natsu slowly closed it before turning his full attention towards his growing powers.

"Gah... There's too much to think about..." He brushed off the thought and decided to rest for a moment until a faint knock resounded from his door, prompting him to stand up and turned it open, only to see Asia in her nightwear while holding on the scarf that he usually wears all day.

He had to lend it to her for quite some time since she was having trouble dealing with the weather here in Japan. And it seems like she gotten used to it.

"Here, Natsu-san... Thank you for lending it to me. It was really warm." Asia smiled warmly in which he returned with the same manner and took his scarf with him and decided to return back to his studies until-

"U-Umm. Natsu-san?" She called him out again.

"Yes?"

"Do you... ... Do you need some help on your homework?" There was a brief pause between them as his attention was focused on the topic for a moment before looking back at the blonde-haired girl.

"Well, I did a small read on it but it was too hard for me... So yeah, I'm in kind of a need for help." He replied.

"I-I see... Can I help?" She offered.

"Eh? Are you sure?"

"Yes... I don't mind... I just wanted to help you since you provided me a home to stay and a family to live with." She reasoned.

"I didn't do anything much though... It was all Buchou's suggestion that she was able to persuade mom and dad to let you stay from now on. Plus, Issei also helped out as well since he wanted you to be happy."

"Well, you did protect me before..."

"Of course, I would... What kind of a person who would not protect his precious friends?" Despite reminding that statement to all of his friends and family countless times, Asia still blushed in the process as she tried to hide her embarrassment from him in which he hardly even notices before returning back to the subject at hand.

"... So, about the homework."

"Y-Yes... Let's get going!" She hastily agreed as the two simply sat on separate chairs near the desk to do their homework there.

The two of them continued to work on their homework as the night continued to press on. Natsu carefully took a deep thought about all the things she explained in the lesson. Even though she just started out school, she already had enough knowledge to keep up with her education and her quickness to learn new things are extraordinary too.

Natsu felt a bit ashamed of himself since he sucked at these kinds of things and having her to help him to solve a simple question is embarrassing. But Asia took upon herself to lend a hand so it doesn't matter either way.

And for the first time ever, he finally understood all of them.

Another couple of minutes passed and both of them finally finished their homework just in time. Natsu gave a wide stretch of his arms after dealing with that assignment on his own, thanks to Asia by the way. Said girl simply smiled in relief while looking at the tired pinkette beside her as he slowly returned his composure and closed the book to keep it in his bag.

"Finally! That's done!" Natsu groaned.

"Great work, Natsu-san."

"Well, you helped me out so it's great work for both of us." He paused for a moment before changing the topic once more. "Sorry for keeping you up this late."

"It's no problem at all... I'm just happy to help."

"Well, I guess we should hit the beds soon... Remember what Buchou had told us about tomorrow?" After giving her a quick reminder, she panicked- well not in a serious way.

"I forgot! What am I going to do!?" She quivered in worry as her panicked expression simply made him chuckle a bit before placing a hand over to her head to calm her down.

"Relax... It's not that serious though... She just said we needed a bit of rest for tomorrow, right?" He proceeded to give his sincere smile towards her in which somehow calmed her down and immediately returned back to her old self.

"Y-Yes..."

..

..

Minutes later, the two eventually parted ways as Asia stood right infront of the door with Natsu waiting on the other side.

"Well then, I'll see you tomorrow, Asia."

"S-Sure... ... Umm, Natsu-san?"

"Hmm?"

He turned around again for a moment as their eyes met for a second. Despite their brief gazes, Asia could not help but feel flustered all of a sudden since she can't maintain her own composure when conversing with a male for a long time. And seeing his straight and honest expression, she knew that he had nothing to hide on his words.

"T-Thank you."

"For what?"

"I-I.. ummm.. well, it's for-" She became troubled by her choice of words to come up with a reply and Natsu could see her shy yet flustered expression as she was twirling her fingers in a seemingly childish way while burying her face from him by continuously looking down on her feet. He doesn't know what she was trying to say at the moment nor the slightest idea of her sudden change of behavior.

Knowing that she can't answer right away, he only smiled softly before placing another pat over to her head to calm her down again.

"It's okay... You're welcome, Asia."

"..." She finally stopped fidgeting as she felt his warm hand from her head, giving her a cozy feeling from the inside.

"Oh and by the way, can you just call me Natsu from now on? It's kinda weird for me since we already known each other. Hearing something like that makes me look like a stranger to you, right?"

"I-Is that so?"

"Yeah... I mean, you're part of the family now. Plus, I think I'll feel better if you can just call me like that." He revealed.

"I see... T-Then, N-N-Natsu..." She stuttered while trying to voice out his name in which only made him chuckle at the shy response.

"It's not that hard now, right? If you ever have any problems, just ask me, alright? I might be not the best one to solve homework or any of the book-thingies but I'll try somehow." He made a nervous smile, hoping that she won't have to approach him with math problems or anything related to school.

"Yes!" Came with a beaming reply from the blonde girl.

As soon as they were done talking, Asia eventually went back to her own room and not lone before she made one last glance towards the pinkette and smile warmly for the last time and closed the door before her and turned the lights off. Natsu could only think back about their time together earlier but decided to let it slide for now, seeing that she was content and all.

"What a weird girl." He muttered with a contented sigh before closing his own door and turned his attention towards his room.

Casting a glance towards his bed where Happy was peacefully sleeping on the far left side, Natsu gave a light stroke on his head in which somewhat caused the blue Exceed to slightly move a bit from his sleep while also making a silent purr upon his contact.

Afterwards, he turned off the lights and settled on the other side in order to prevent him from waking up the feline beside him. Darkness took over the room as the light of the moon illuminated from the window and into the room itself. Focusing his gaze up to the ceiling, Natsu thought deeply about his dream yet again until his body slowly succumbed into slumber as he drifted to sleep.

* * *

 _ **The next day...**_

Things seemed to be as normal as it is since there are no such supernatural interference throughout the day. Routines went on from morning to noon as Natsu usually sits on his desk to rest for the whole lunch break while Issei usually spends his time talking with his two perverted friends which always relates about perverted stuff.

Asia, on the other hand had been the center of attention for the whole girls in their class. All of them were all eager to meet her as she was a very gentle and kind person. That sort of personality serves to be the reason why everyone wanted to become friends with her. Plus, Natsu would be glad to introduce her to some others. After all, she was able to get the chance to make friends for the first time.

Friends and family members aside, there's also a matter of Happy in his hands. Normally, he would've tag him along in school but having to needlessly converse with him out from the blue is somehow very disturbing from the eyes of other onlookers. Happy can conceal his presence almost completely from the normal humans except for him and the other two. He would secretly follow him to school no matter what.

Even so, he didn't mind it at all.

Having Happy to accompany him and give some small gigs is not such a bad idea after all. Probably way better than just going on the rooftop and sleep peacefully.

Of course, he is also looking forward to the club activities for today since Rias had announced something for the three of them to learn. Hopefully it would be another big case of stray devil extermination... Although the chances are very slim at the moment since there were no such report of a stray devil around town.

..

..

They all waited for the day to end as they finally finished their last class and were eventually preparing to pack up to head towards the old school building to attend their club activities. As the students empty the room, Natsu placed his unread English book back on his bag as Happy patiently waited for him to finish right atop on his head.

It only took him a few more seconds to finish but he was able to prepare himself.

"Well then, let's go." Issei suggested as he and Asia waited for him just at the door.

Natsu only gestured a brief nod as they all departed from the room and began their way downstairs. At the same time, they also began their conversation with each other.

"I wonder what kind of things are we doing today..." Natsu pondered.

"Buchou said something about like learning new things... Maybe some training or some sort." Issei answered.

"I-I'm getting nervous." Asia added.

"Yosh, I'm all fired up! Anyways, do you guys saw Akeno-senpai lately?" The other two could only look at him in confusion.

"Now that you said it, she wasn't really around together with Buchou... I wonder what happened." Issei spoke.

"Kiba-san might know something... We can always ask him later when we meet back at the club." Asia suggested. The two boys nodded in agreement before resuming their journey towards the old school building.

"By the way, where's Happy? Usually, he would be sitting on top of your head right now, Natsu." Issei asked upon noticing the lack of a blue Exceed beside them.

"I promised to give him a bucket of fish earlier if he stays at home." He told them.

"I-I see... No wonder why he is not around here?" The brownette could only sweatdrop.

..

..

Another few minutes has passed and the trio finally met Kiba along the way and decided to tag along together since they were all heading towards the building to start their activities there. Natsu and the others seemed to momentarily forgot to ask about Akeno's whereabouts as they simply enjoyed their time talking to each other as fellow servants of the Gremory household... except for Natsu that is.

However, as they neared towards the old school building, Kiba immediately stopped on their tracks as they felt a familiar presence coming from the inside of their building. Natsu and the others were confused at first but also soon felt a strange aura emanating from the inside.

Kiba's eyes narrowed in seriousness as Natsu and Issei did the same as if they were preparing for a battle.

"W-What's wrong, Kiba-san?" Asia could not help but ask since she was the only one who haven't noticed anything strange just now.

"To think that he would be here so soon..." Mumbling some of the words only to himself, the three could only tilt their heads in confusion of what he just said just now. There must be something going on.

"He?" Issei asked.

"Nevermind that... Let's go and find out." Natsu disregarded all their worries and decided to play along as Kiba and Koneko resumed their pace towards the building until they all stopped at the door and opened it before entering inside. They slowly waded upstairs and Natsu could somehow pick up a scent or two that very unfamiliar to him, thus assuming that there's another person inside whom he didn't know much about.

As the group made their way to the second door, they hastily opened it and went inside. For a moment Natsu was relieved to see Akeno inside but averted his gaze away from her and into the center of the room where he saw a tall blonde-haired man dressed in a burgundy blazer with matching pants and black dress shoes. Underneath his blazer was a white dress shirt which was partially buttoned, seemingly having only one or two buttons lay open which slightly exposes his chest as a result.

The style of his hair and the face appearance somehow reminds him of a arrogant rich person. And a hazy feeling soon crept up inside his chest as he felt the fiery aura emanating from the man himself. Quite similar of his fire constitution but different nonetheless.

On the other hand, there was another person inside as Natsu saw her in a seemingly maid outfit with beautiful silver hair tied into a braid. She seemed to be in her twenties, seeing that she carried some sort of the same atmosphere as Rias though with the latter being younger. She was standing right infront of the desk where Buchou and Akeno were standing and their arrival seemed to have interrupted their conversation.

Koneko was already inside and was probably waiting for them as she silently ate her lollipop on the couch before casting a short glance towards the appearing group.

There was a long wave of silence until Natsu raised his hand, hoping to cut off the tense atmosphere between them.

"Aaaah, I think I'll come back later... See ya!" Just as he was about to turn around and run, he was grabbed by the collar as Kiba held him back with a sweatdrop. Issei and Asia were simply looking at the new guests with mystified looks as Rias began to speak of the situation.

"I'm glad you're all here... I was about to discuss this matter with the rest of you all but things have gone quiet in a hurry." She apologized but it was not long before the tall blonde man intervened and walked his way to the center as if he was owning the place.

"Ah, there's no need for any excuses... I'd also like to meet your peerage, Rias." He spoke in a somewhat cool yet arrogant tone and Natsu could somehow pick up a small sound of her tongue clicking in irritation from his reply.

It was then the other female person beside them decided to speak.

"Good day to you all... I'm Grayfia Lucifuge. I serve under House Gremory and am here to discuss some matters concerning about your President. I assume that you were all informed of the situation here." She made a reaffirming look towards Rias but seeing the confused looks on the three newcomers she deduced that they were not informed.

"I was about to but this matter was suddenly brought up so I didn't have the time to-"

"There's no need to pry on such matters like this... Since they were not importantly held involved in this." The man cut her off yet again.

Of course, everyone was just silent about the situation since they don't know about the situation entirely. Seriously, they should just tell it right now rather than arguing at each other.

Grayfia only sighed lightly at the two before turning her attention on others.

"Well then, I suppose you all want to know about our arrival here... This is about the engagement between Rias and Riser."

After her statement, the confused trio were just standing there as if they were trying to process the information just now.

And in just like that, Natsu and the others hung their mouths open in utter shock.

"E-Engagement?! EEEEEHHHHHHHHHH!"

..

..

..

After the whole revelation of the engagement about Rias and the tall man who calls himself Riser, Natsu and the others settled on the side, standing on the opposite side while facing Rias and Riser in one couch in front of them with the latter stroking her hair casually as if they were close.

"It's been a long time since I traveled here in the human world... How I missed your beauty, Rias." He sets his advances on the crimson haired woman but she didn't reply back and kept on sitting as if she isn't affected at all.

A few moments passed and Akeno eventually gave the visitor some tea as a sign of their hospitality.

"Aaaah, Rias' Queen sure has the best serve of tea I've tasted in awhile." Riser complimented in which Akeno accepted it with sincerity.

"The pleasure is all mine." She replied briefly before bowing.

The long silence continued as the group was left standing on one side, observing the two. Issei could feel his blood boiling after seeing him trying to harass Rias discreetly and everyone knew that she was not liking it either. On the other hand, Grayfia took a mindful observation on the group as if her mind was shifted elsewhere and eventually landed towards the pinkette.

"Rias... You do know that a human is not allowed to be shared information about us, right?" Knowing of what she was trying to say, Rias turned her attention toward the silver-haired woman.

"He isn't just some normal human."

"Then I assume that he's a Sacred Gear holder though I don't sense anything inside him." She noted. Riser eventually noticed the oddity on her peerage and could not help but comment.

"Oh right... I noticed him just a moment ago but I never thought you brought a human here, Rias."

"Hey!" Natsu, for some reason felt offended but was held back by Asia.

Grayfia ignored the commotion and shifted her gaze yet again to Issei.

"Then I guess, this is the possessor of the rumored Boosted Gear... The one marked with one of the souls of the Heavenly Dragons." She guessed. Issei never replied and simply made a dubious expression.

"Her peerage aside... Rias, I think it's high time we should continue our own matters... Sirzechs wanted an answer to our relationships right now." Riser returned back to the topic at hand.

"Onii-sama and Otou-sama are rushing way too fast... I told them to let me decide things until I graduate but they were desperate." She scoffed in annoyance.

"It's a natural reaction... Since the line of the pure-blooded devils runs scarce nowadays... That's why they decided to hold our marriage as soon as possible."

Hearing another curious word, Natsu thought out in curiosity.

"Pure-blooded devils?"

"Yes... Aside from us reincarnated devils... There are also pure-blooded devils who were born naturally since the beginning and held the most ancient yet destructive power of the pillars of where they were currently affiliated at. Buchou is a pure-blooded devil, you see." Kiba explained.

"Eeeh?! No wonder why she was powerful." Natsu mused.

"But make no mistake on her powers. There are also pure-blooded devils who holds much stronger power than Buchou... Riser here is also a pure-blooded devil and held the power of the immortal Phoenix." He revealed.

"Phoenix? Then is he-" Asia stuttered.

"Immortal? Yes... Devils live a long time but they die out eventually but devils harnessing the power of the legendary Phoenix are immortal."

"The devil realm sure is scary as fuck." Natsu sweatdropped while also thinking that he was fortunate to be still human until now.

On the other hand, the argument between Rias and Riser continues.

"I already told you that I marry on my own consent!"

"That's not good, Rias... You know that the two houses are expecting our engagement to bear fruit. There is no chance for you to deny something like this." Riser spoke.

"Just to remind you this, Riser; I'm not marrying you-"

"You know, I can't take no for an answer... I'm make sure I'll bring you back to Hell with force... Even if it takes me in destroying your little peerage." And at that moment his eyes glowed in power as if he was showing off his threat towards her seriously. However, Rias never showed signs of weakness and tried to give off the same aura around her as if they were about to throw down at any moment.

The group also prepared themselves after noticing the sudden change of the atmosphere between them.

But before they could even continue, Grayfia intervened.

"Enough! Both of you!" She raised her voice in an authoritative tone which instantly brought down the unsettling atmosphere between them.

She sighed for a moment before continuing.

"Sirzechs-sama knew that this was going to happen and I was sent here if such a thing come to light... And I was ordered to solve the situation without having to leave any ill feelings behind between both sides. I also suggest to refrain any of bring out your powers to such an extent in an inappropriate locations." She stated.

"As expected of the strongest Queen, your voice even brings out the terror of your power." Riser complimented.

True enough, her words both sent Natsu and Issei chilling from their spines. And at that point, they knew that she was not a person worth messing with.

The silver-haired barmaid ignored his words and decided on the topic.

"Since the matter cannot be solved easily... Sirzechs has devised an alternative plan to solve this conflict."

"Onii-sama did?"

"It will be decided on a Rating Game." Hearing that suggestion, Rias could only widen her eyes in disbelief.

"Rating Game? Isn't that the same thing you told me before, Akeno-senpai?" Natsu asked.

"Yes... When two Pure-blooded devils clashed, a Rating Game is held. You know the pieces placed on Issei and the others, right? They all go in accordance.. on their respective pieces like in a chess game. All of us held different pieces and the capabilities we have depends on the type of pieces we were entrusted to such that the King will use them in order to win the Rating Game..." She paused.

"...In this case, Rias-buchou and Riser-sama held the titles of the peerage as the Kings and we're their servants an the pieces used in the Rating Game... Well, except for you that is." She clarified.

As the group finished their explanation, Riser took a brief look on them before looking back at Rias again.

"Is this all of your peerage?"

"And what of it?"

Ignoring her retort, simply made a snap as a magical circle appeared right on the entrance of the door before flames rose above it, almost reaching to the ceiling, causing it to burn in the process as 15 female figures appeared inside the flames until it dissipated and revealed themselves to the group.

They were all beautiful girls with different styles and facial features that might cause any male to drool from happiness. Unfortunately for Natsu, he doesn't feel anything except the uncertainty inside his chest as if he was gearing to fight at anytime soon after seeing their serious faces staring towards them.

"Wha... What a bastard... No- what a man!" Issei had the opposite reaction as he cried almost depressingly towards the sight. Of course, everyone soon caught his attention and could only sweatdrop in response. Different reactions went all over the group even to the other peerage as well as they looked at the brownette in disgust.

Natsu was facepalming, Asia was puffing and Kiba and Koneko simply stated their opinions on Issei's reaction.

"Pervert..." Koneko answered with a displeased frown.

"Why now at all times?" Natsu groaned.

On the other hand, Riser could only look momentarily at him before speaking.

"Hey, Rias... That servant of yours over there is crying because of me?"

"He aims to be a harem king in the future." Rias sighed before holding her head painfully since he was making a scene in front of the others.

"Hmph... Well, I guess I'll have to teach him something about a thing or two." He began with a cold tone before looking back at the girls near the door. "Yubelluna."

Calling out a name from the group, a purple haired woman came out from the small crowd. She was a busty woman wearing a navy blue tunic with gold accents, accompanied by a blue skirt with open sides, revealing her thighs which was adorned with high-stockings together with matching black shoes. She also wears a white overcoat with black and cold accents, matching her clothes. Her hairstyle was wavy and reaches down to her back, rivaling that of Akeno's and Rias'. She also carries staff-life scepter, seemingly to be her weapon.

She made her way towards the Riser and was just near to his face and it was not long before Riser started to kiss her intimately before groping one of her breast which revealed her nipple right towards the group. She never shown any resistance from his actions as if she submitted to him that easily as Riser casts a mocking glance towards Issei.

"This is what it feels like to have one dream, boy."

Of course, everyone never liked such an obscene sight as they all gritted in anger towards the blonde-haired man, especially Issei.

"You bastard! You're a sick bastard! To think that Rias would marry someone like you! I can't accept that! I don't want Buchou to be pitted with a lowlife like you!"

"Watch your mouth... Are really in a position to say something to a devil like me?" Riser mocked.

"Shut up! I don't care what kind of devil you are. I'll never accept you as her fiance!"

"That's enough, Issei-"

"No! I won't stand here and do nothing! As Rias Gremory's pawn, I shall defeat you here myself!" Issei declared and not long before a couple of gasps and surprises went through both sides as Issei jumped in front of the group and readied his Boosted Gear.

"Defeat him? Is he insane?!" One of the girls from the other peerage widen her eyes in disbelief as she saw Issei trying to fight Riser one on one.

"Hmph... Mira..." Calling another girl from the group. A pony-tailed girl jumped out towards the fray with a wooden staff in hand as her weapon and jumped between Issei and Riser to battle the former.

"Out of my way!" As he tried to lash out on her, Issei was simply met with a deadly thrust on his stomach, causing him to fly and landed far away from the other side. The force of the blow got him into a spasm and vomited out saliva in the process before falling down injured.

"Finish him." Riser ordered and Mira was about to attack the down boy once more until a hand stopped her staff from connecting to Issei and could only widen in shock as Natsu instantly stood before them and easily stopped the attack with ease.

"Are you threatening to kill my brother?" He asked in a monotone.

"Out of my way, human! I will defeat you if you don't stand back-"

 **FWOOSH***

It was until then, Natsu can't take it anymore as flames spewed from this body, blasting a powerful force that sends the girl flying away and gave off an intense heat around them, shocking both sides especially to Riser. Flames surrounded his body, leaving the floor on where he was standing to slowly turn into black. His black onyx eyes turning crimson as his body began to personify that of a monster which only wary people could only see in him.

"If you go on in trying to harm my friends, I'll burn every single one of you." Casting an intimidating look on his face towards Riser, everyone simply shook in panic as Natsu threatened them with his words alone. Grayfia was surprised as well after witnessing the power inside the pinkette but Riser could only smirk in response apart from everyone who took a step back from the pink-haired human.

"Interesting... ... It seems like your peerage is not just all talk... Very well, if you all want as so much to defeat me then, let's all settle that in the Rating Game... I'll give your peerage to train themselves... Hopefully, you won't disappoint me in this, Rias." He declared as he slowly backed away from the impending fight and surrounded him and his peerage in flames before disappearing in sight.

As they left the group, Natsu's flames died down. At the same time, his expression turned calmer and went back at the unconscious Issei before Rias and the others came in to help.

Grayfia was simply stunned at the sudden turn of events. Not only she witnessed something as strange that a human intimidating a high-class devil but also another human who possessed a mysterious power that slightly made her shiver.

Although it was just short, she somehow felt something fiery and destructive from his power. She decided to keep quiet about it for a moment and pretended that it never happen before returning back to the topic.

"It seems like it's decided... Rias, this maybe the only chance you will have against Riser. Use this opportunity and formulate your own strategy on how you could bring him down." She suggested.

"Are you going to tell Onii-sama about him?" She turned over to the pinkette in question.

"Although I hate keeping things a secret to your brother, I think there's a reason why you didn't want him to reveal to us just yet. However-"

"-He'll find out soon enough."

"I don't care..." It was then Natsu spoke for his own before looking back at them with a renewed determination.

"I'll make sure to remind them that they messed with the wrong people. I'm all fired up!" With a mixed tone of anger and determination, Natsu gazed intently at the burnt magic circle where Riser and his peerage had disappeared into.

His fists clenching tightly with flames appearing right on his hair as if it was threatening to burst out anytime soon.

A battle is imminent.

* * *

 **A/N: That's a wrap for this chapter. How was it? Is it good or bad? Leave your thoughts on the reviews.**

 **This chapter actually gave a refreshed feeling since I was able to write every character freely without restrictions. Again, I'm sorry for the inconvenience for posting up polls.**

 **Besides that, thank you for your patience for this chapter. Things have gotten way busier here in mine, specifically my studies. So yeah, life is a bitch sometimes but I can't blame it. No matter... I'll try to update as possible as I can.**

 **That's all for now guys. See you on the next chapter.**

 **\- wiErD SpeCtrumz blacking out... ... ...**


	11. Training

**A/N: Sup everyone! wiErD here and I got a new chapter for this story.**

 **Hope ya like it!**

 **Have Fun and Happy Reading.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own FT and HSDXD. All goes to their respective authors.**

* * *

 **\- Training -**

It's been a day ever since the incident between Riser and Rias. Everyone was quite rattled and surprised at the little skirmish between both sides but luckily, Natsu was able to fend off Riser's threats and towards his friends with his own.

It might be considered as a praise though he did get a light punishment from Akeno who was worried at him after that scene against Riser. It was just a collection of reminders and words from her in which he finds it annoying to some extent since she was never the person to be doing such a thing. Asia might be a better person in holding out punishment. Probably because of her innocent and caring nature towards him.

Even so, they were fortunate enough that the fight never escalated that much to the point where they would want to beat each other before the Rating Game could even start. Nevertheless, they were just glad that everything turned out to be fine... for now it seems.

..

..

Leaving those aside, everyone had already undertaken a trip to the mountains as Natsu carried a seemingly large backpack together with Koneko who also had the same size as they walked alongside with each other together with the rest of the group.

Trailing far behind the group was Issei who had been panting from exhaustion for quite some time now despite only carrying a normal backpack. After seeing the lack of endurance and other capabilities from the Booster Gear holder, Rias had thought of a plan to improve his stamina in order to last long in the course of a battle.

And witnessing his already tired figure shows his current abilities despite being reincarnated as a devil.

Natsu never had any problem with physical abilities as he has a fairly muscular built.

"How long are you gonna keep on stopping? Let's go!" Natsu shouted from afar towards the brownette.

"Shut up! Just because your buff and all, you show off with the others!" He shouted in annoyance but Natsu could only tilt his head in confusion towards his statement.

"I don't get what you mean..." He added.

"You're so slow, Issei!" Happy teased.

"Shut up, you damn cat!" Issei hissed.

With the rest of the group moving up on foot in exception for Happy because of his flight, they have all the allotted time they needed to shape up the two for the upcoming battle. After a few more minutes of traversing their way up to the top, they finally reached into a secluded villa surrounded by green lush. Asia, Natsu and Issei were only the ones who were taken aback of such a sight since they never thought that their training camp would be this grand.

Natsu was expecting for a hellish training with a whole set of tent under harsh weather condition but it seems packing all that unnecessary preparations on his backpack was a waste. Well, he doesn't seem to mind all that as long as he gets a fair training course to hone his skills and magic further.

"Woah..." Both boys awed.

"Aye! Look a pond! I wonder if there are a lot of fish swimming around!" Happy drooled in delight.

"It's beautiful!" Asia smiled in delight.

"And here we are... We finally reached our training camp." Rias proudly spoke.

"I suppose we should settle our things first before we proceed with our own training sessions... Getting accustomed to this place will also help us give a good mindset to start our training in earnest, don't you think?" Akeno proposed.

"That's a good idea... Well then, we should meet up at the front of the villa later... For now, let's settle down and rest for a bit before proceeding with training. Every minute is a precious time for us. We need to use every bit of it to bring out the best of our abilities, alright?" Rias added as the whole group simply gave a nod as a response before they started heading inside and began to settle their backpacks into their respective rooms.

Natsu and Issei have their own separate rooms since the space inside the villa is big enough for ten or more people to live inside though with the former having Happy to lodge in together with him. It was also their first time settling into a luxurious house since they usually live their lives as normal as they could until this unexpected meetings with the devils came about.

Nevertheless, living your life in luxury sure could make yourself lazy to do anything at the moment, especially when you're tired. But both Natsu and Issei had no time to be relaxing, they came here to train for a reason and they wanted to spend this precious time to develop their skills for the upcoming battle.

While all the girls are all having their own bath to refresh themselves, the boys on the other hand, simply changed their outfits to track suits as their training gear for today's training. All of them are settled on an open room as Kiba, Natsu and Issei had changed into their track suits before walking towards outside to wait for the girls.

"Where's Happy?" Issei asked after noticing the lack of a blue cat beside Natsu.

"He stayed at the room, probably preparing his own fishing rod to catch fish near the pond." The pinkette replied.

"That cat sure loves fish... It's a good thing I didn't become his master."

"Well technically, he's a stray familiar but he hangs around with us so it's not a problem. He's good at flying though." Natsu reassured.

"Yeah but it's sounded kinda useless since all he can do is fly around and eat almost everyday... Do you know that he emptied our fridge the other day... We had to waste all our money to buy it all again." Issei spoke in irritation.

"Give it a break... I don't mind too much about it." He brushed off his brother's displeased face.

"Yeah but mom will." He added and it was not long before Natsu tried to change the subject.

..

..

"I wonder what kind of training we're going to have." He pondered in thought.

"If Buchou is anything, she might give a lot of work without any breaks." Issei guessed.

"No... That's exactly what she's going to do." Kiba added.

"Well, she surely is a strict training instructor... Did you suffer the same thing?" Natsu asked.

"I had no problems with it... I grew accustomed to it so it doesn't matter that much to me." A scoff went from Issei as he glared at him in irritation before muttering something underneath his breath.

"Show off..." He clicked his tongue in irritation until he realized something about Kiba. "Oh that reminds me, you said something about hating on fallen angels?"

There was brief moment of silence between them as Kiba momentarily stopped what he was doing as if he began to think deeply on what Issei had just said.

"You're right... I do hate- No, more like I despise them."

"That's a pretty deep grudge." Natsu blurted out.

"All of us had our history before we became devils... Those fallen angels tried to harm both you, Issei and Asia. We're all the same here as Buchou saved us from them. That's why we'll do everything in our power to win for her, right?" He looked at them with a reassuring smile.

"Of course, I'm not going to lose!" Issei pumped his fist in the air in determination.

On the other hand, Natsu couldn't feel the same as Kiba felt against the fallen angels. After all, they were also the ones who saved him, specifically to one person. He just realized that he was the only one who knew of the real situation however, he did not want to reply back to refute, seeing that he doesn't want to start an argument.

He saw how Kiba greatly despises them and he could not blame him for that. He doesn't know anything of his past nor what made him to hate on them so much. All he can do is just watch.

It was then, he realized that the two were already calling him from the door which soon got him out of his thoughts and decided to set them aside before sprinting towards them and head their way outside to meet with the others.

..

..

Minutes later, the group had finally gathered together outside as they all changed into their different color track suits. Everyone seemed prepared and eager to start the training as Rias soon began her speech.

"I suppose everyone is already here so we'll start out first training session of the day."

"Is it a duel?" Natsu quickly asked.

"No... Not yet... First, we need to give some different training sessions for each of you before we could go for short duel to prove our abilities. Kiba?" Rias looked over to the blonde-haired knight who nodded in response as he tossed two wood-crafted katanas towards the two boys to use as a weapon for the incoming session.

"What's this?" Natsu stupidly asked as he held the wooden sword up high in confusion.

"It's for our first lesson. You need to learn to track the enemy's movements depending on the weapon he uses."

"I'm not comfortable to use a weapon, you know. Can't I just use my powers instead?" He protested.

"Alright... As long as you get to understand the lesson then it's fine. However, this is not a battle yet so don't get too attached on the battle." She advised.

Issei took the weapon at hand and moved into a battle stance as he held it in his two hands and faced Kiba with Natsu who only raised his fists in compensation for his lack of weapon. Without calling out his flames, Natsu simply narrowed his eyes in attention and focused on the blonde-haired knight as he began to speak.

"Lesson one... As per what every battle we encounter, we all need to track our enemy's movements and predict on how we could avoid them and eventually think of a plan to counter them to boost our advantage towards the situation. I think we should start by gauging out your senses before going in for the next subject." He spoke as the two boys nodded in response before preparing themselves against him.

The rest of the group stood at the corner, observing as Asia watched the spar in worry since she was never the person to see violence that much often but with her experiencing the reality of battle and conflicts will somehow help her to understand the situation and will also prevent her to panic at first sight.

She needs to learn to analyze the situation instead of cowering in fear. It's probably one of Rias' plans for the training to boost her self-confidence towards the upcoming Rating Game.

Back at the two, both Natsu and Issei wasted no time to stand by as they simultaneously charged in to fight Kiba with their own capabilities as the brownette swung his wooden sword carelessly which was noticed by Kiba before commenting on his movements.

"You charge to recklessly... Try to observe your enemy's movements and use that to predict his next move."

Shifting his glance to Natsu, he shoved off Issei away with the back of his wooden sword and quickly raised it to guard the pinkette's incoming kick to the face. A brief power struggle came between them as Natsu tried for a roundhouse kick in which Kiba took notice and simply leaped away from the two as he began to observe their attack patterns.

"You also share the same recklessness but your fighting style is commendable..." He commented on the last boy who nodded in response until Rias finally stopped them for now.

"That's enough for this lesson. This is just an evaluation as well as a learning lesson for the two of you in order to improve your weaknesses." She spoke.

"I guess I still have many ways to go, huh?" Issei frowned slightly as he got back on his feet and took a mindful look on his current abilities. Unlike Natsu, he had nothing to prove at the moment, seeing that he easily went down while Natsu managed to keep his own stance throughout the short spar.

"Don't feel too bad about it... Acknowledging your weaknesses and finding your own specialty within the group is the first step in becoming stronger. Remember, you have the Boosted Gear in you, hosting the soul of one of the legendary Heavenly Dragons. Riser recognizes it to be a threat towards the upcoming battle together with Asia's Twilight Healing." Rias reassured.

"How about Natsu? Is there something needed for him to improve on?" Issei turned to ask his brother in question which only made Rias and Akeno to ponder for a moment.

"Without any knowledge regarding the nature of his powers, we can't say for sure of how he is capable in fighting devils in the Rating Game." Rias bit her lip to think.

"Well, we did see him standing up against fallen angels the other day... I think he's more than capable of facing one of the devils in Riser's peerage." Akeno noted.

"True... Aside from his usage of flames, I think his power will be rendered useless since we're facing Phenex... The embodiment of immortality and flame."

"I can say the same for Riser though." Issei interrupted which caught their attention of what he just said.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Natsu is immune to fire... That would mean they'll have to fight in terms of physical combat against him since fire also doesn't work on him." He noted which surprised the two since they never thought of it like that until now.

"There's still a problem though..." It was then Akeno spoke.

"And what's that?"

"Their queen, Yubelluna also known as the Bomb Queen... Just as the name states, she specializes in explosions and is known in blowing her enemies away with her powers. While I believe at Natsu's physical strength, explosions will probably wear him down if he faced her."

"That's why I'll have you to fight her once that happens." Rias smiled before looking back to her peerage. "No one is going to fight alone... We all have each other to protect our backs. I put my faith on it."

Everyone was just surprised at her speech but they all soon smiled afterwards as they understood what she was meaning to say to them.

"Yes, Buchou!" Nodding simultaneously in response, the group took her words to heart as they all felt better after that.

Despite facing an overwhelming number of opponents, they all believed that they're gonna pull it through. As long as everyone is together and working very hard, there's nothing to lose.

They all have to pour everything in their power to fight for their president. This is what friends are for.

"Alright, we'll discuss our strategy some other time... For now, we proceed to lesson two... Akeno." Rias turned over to her queen who nodded briefly before leading the two boys together with Asia inside, leaving the the others outside as Kiba and Koneko stood beside Rias with a renewed determination.

Thus, their training continues.

* * *

 _ **Several hours later...**_

Their first day in training has finally come to an end as the night crept over to the day and covered the half of the world in nocturnal darkness. The group had settled over to a large dinner table as they all ate merrily to their hearts' content.

After training with several members of the peerage and gauging their own strengths and weaknesses, everyone had a view of their own current powers and standings of how they differ from one another.

Kiba dominates speed and maybe even agility, Koneko had her own super strength, Asia had her affinity with magic and healing abilities, Akeno and Rias were exceptions, seeing that their powers held above the rest of the peerage. Natsu seemed to balance in all categories though with his strength becoming a bit more top-notch from the rest of the others. Issei, on the other hand had some things to consider about his current skills.

After being relayed with several lessons, he knew he was the weakest of the group. Despite having the Boosted Gear which temporarily increases his strength into certain high levels, his defense and other abilities lacked training.

Both of the two brothers have huge advantages over offensive attacks once the situation calls for it but Issei needed to sharpen his own skills in order to survive long enough in the future battles.

Rias already advised him to train with Kiba and Koneko tomorrow in order for him to train his body to last long enough in the Rating Game and also develop his skills in the process. Asia will remain free at the moment since she already achieved a level of magic affinity during her first try while Natsu will have to train with Akeno for his powers' development.

That plan pretty sums up for the whole training camp and Rias knew that it would be enough to prepare themselves in the upcoming battle.

..

..

While eating on the table, everyone had their share of conversations at each other as they began comment on their first training day.

"So how's the first day?" Rias asked the group.

"Fine, I guess... I just hope I can get stronger by the time we get to fight that guy." Natsu replied.

"There's still a lot of time to develop those abilities so don't push yourselves too hard. All of us will have to remain prepared both mentally and physically." She advised.

"Yes..."

"How about you, Issei?" The redhead turned to the Boosted Gear wielder in question.

"Well, I think by now that I'm the weakest of the group but I suppose I need to know it in order to improve all of my flaws..." He slightly frowned at the thought.

"Don't worry about it... It's a good idea that you know your strength at the moment... That's why we'll have to improve all that in this training."

"Are you really sure that I have to train with Kiba and Koneko tomorrow?" He asked doubtfully.

"Yes... Two at the same time." She smiled.

"You're a monster... Buchou." Issei cried in tears.

"Don't forget about, Natsu though... He's also sharing the same situation as you." Rias darted her attention over to the preoccupied pinkette who was entirely oblivious about the conversation alongside with Happy.

"Ara, ara... I get to fight with Natsu-kun tomorrow... I wonder how will he fare with me?" Akeno joined in the conversation with a smile.

"G-Good luck to you two, Issei-san... Natsu-san!" Asia shyly spoke. Knowing how hellish their training is going to be tomorrow, she could only show her moral between the two since they've been doing their best in order to win for Rias.

..

..

"Oh that reminds me, I have something get in my bag... I'll see you guys in a minute." It was then Issei changed their topic and decided to head back to his own room, earning a brief nod from the whole group as he walked back to the lobby and into the room to search something in his bag.

It didn't take long for him to finish his errand as he found his set of clothes for tomorrow and decided to place them right beside a nightstand near his bed to prepare for his training with Kiba and Koneko.

Knowing the two's capabilities towards combat, he might think that he's not gonna walk out unharmed tomorrow, seeing that he'll have to adapt to their attacks and think up a way to counter them and eventually form up some kind of power-up to win.

Thinking about that makes his head spin as he tried shaking off his doubts aside since he might see himself as useless in the group. Not to mention Natsu has more skills than he is despite him being entirely human.

Issei could only release a sigh of slight depression as he continued on his own doing and tried to focus on the training at hand. It's pointless to just mope around and think deeply about it.

If he's going to be as strong as anybody within the group, he needs to work hard like the others.

"At this rate, I'm never gonna be the person Buchou wanted me to be..." He muttered into himself before releasing another depressing sigh.

 **[It seems like you got quite a problem there now, boy...]**

It was then a mysterious and ominous voice resounded through his ears as Issei widened his eyes in surprised and tried to look around but found no one. His instincts kicked up almost instantly as his eyes searched around the empty room warily.

The voice itself was otherworldy, judging from its tone and Issei knew that it's human.

"Who's there?!"

Moments later, a green light soon glowed on the back of his hand which caused him to gaze at it in confusion until the same voice appeared yet again, emanating through it.

 **[It looks like you've finally noticed me... Since you were inexperienced, you failed to notice my presence at first...]**

"Who are you?" He asked.

 **[Shouldn't it be you who would already know my name? After all, we're now partners.]**

"Like hell I would know...! I never even expect that my gauntlet could speak!"

A grunted sigh came afterwards from the voice itself which is pretty unusual for Issei to hear in the process.

 **[Have you been listening to your Master? You should know by now that you're holding onto one of the souls of the Heavenly Dragons in your Sacred Gear.]**

A sudden realization struck inside his head as he began to put the pieces all together.

"Then you're-

 **[Ddraig... Welsh Dragon... Although it's been long time since your Sacred Gear appeared, you still aren't strong enough to detect my presence in you.]**

"Well, I'm sorry for being weak! I'm trying to train myself, dammit!" Issei could only retort back at the glowing orb on his left hand before changing the topic. "So what did you came here for?"

 **[Isn't it not allowed for the Sacred Gear to meet its host?]**

Somehow that caught the brown-haired boy to stop talking as he stuttered at his reply.

"Well that's-"

 **[In any case, I don't plan to stay around for long... I've only come here to give you a warning.]** Without giving him time to build up a reply, Ddraig continued his conversation in which got Issei to turn back into attention after hearing a warning coming from him.

"Eh?"

 **[That human brother of yours... You watch yourself around him.]** Hearing about the mention of his brother, Issei immediately narrowed his eyes in seriousness.

"What about my brother?"

 **[I don't want to give you a long answer but something about his power makes me uneasy... Even though you're still not feeling it, you best watch yourself from now on... His power is something different and it's best to keep a mindful eye for the time being even if he's your ally.]**

"O-Oi! What's that suppose to mean?"

He tried to answer back but the glow immediately faded as the voice eventually vanished along with it, leaving the brownette confused at the moment.

"What the hell is he talking about?" He muttered underneath his breath before trying to think about what Ddraig had just said to him.

Although it was too early to suspect something, it's best to keep it to himself for now and try to process things slowly. He doesn't know the nature of his brother's powers but if Ddraig's having a bad feeling about it, he'd best prepare himself in the future.

Right now, he should ignore his warning for the time being and wait for it all to unfold. Plus, he knew Natsu for too long and he knew that he would not do anything to hurt anyone precious to him.

Knowing that he wasted too much time on his room, Issei went back to the dining area and resumed his conversation with his friends while hiding the truth behind his encounter with the Welsh Dragon.

..

..

* * *

 _ **The next day... (Day two of the training camp.)**_

Natsu and Happy stood in confusion as they found themelves in an open field facing Akeno who on the other hand, had worn a rather shrine maiden outfit in which the former saw for the first time since he usually sees her in her school outfit at the academy.

Nevertheless, Natsu was also confused to their current training area since the two of them transported far away from the villa which somehow got him to suddenly feel sick in the process after being transported.

He also had this same feeling back when he was teleported together with the others but he didn't knew that it would become worse than it had been before. It's quite mysterious to when this kind of sickness appeared unto him since he doesn't usually feel it during the first couple of tries but now, it seemed like he going to feel sick whenever they tried teleporting once again.

And judging from it, he might have developed a sickness in motion.

..

..

Now that's something new.

Putting that aside, he turned his attention to the black-haired girl in front of her who was patiently waiting for him as she stood silently at a distance and soon sported a warm smile towards him after noticing his gaze.

"Hey, Akeno-senpai... Isn't it okay to be not near the villa... Buchou never mentioned about training far away since she's observing our progress." He asked curiously.

"Don't worry about it... I'll just report of our own progress since I'm personally training you, Natsu-kun." She smiled.

"Well, okay... By the way, it's my first time seeing you in that outfit." He spoke about her outfit in which she was briefly surprised before giving a light twirl on herself to show more of her dress from all sides.

"Do you like it?" She smiled seductively.

"Yeah... It suits you perfectly, Akeno-senpai." He complimented in which got her flustered in the process since he openly stated out his opinion rather bluntly towards her with sugarcoating it.

"W-What are you talking about?" She stuttered.

"What? I'm just saying that it looks good on you... Isn't it bad?" He replied worriedly, completely oblivious at the atmosphere between them.

"N-No... It's just that it's my first time seeing a man saying his opinions freely without doubts." She admitted.

"Is that so? Would it be better if he were to just say what he thinks than hiding it?" Natsu simply tilted his head in confusion.

..

..

Akeno would need to watch herself from now on, knowing that Natsu is a bit of a straightforward person. She cleared her throat for a moment to change the topic as she easily recomposed herself and looked at the pinkette with a renewed gaze.

"Leaving that aside, are you ready, Natsu-kun?" She moved into her battle stance.

"W-Wait! Are we going to start now?" He asked doubtfully.

"Of course... The more time we could spare, the more progress we'll be able to accomplish."

"Well, I know about the fights and all but can't we just talk a few moments before starting... I barely got enough sleep." He reasoned.

"That's no excuse for postponing the fight..." She smiled in a discreet way as Natsu could feel her sadistic nature kicking in despite not having to start any battle between them.

She must be eager to hurt him to death... That one thought made the pinkette shiver in fright.

"In that case, can I have Happy to help? You know, I can't fly, right?"

"Alright... As what Buchou had said yesterday, we're having a spar with each other... Don't hold back. Give it everything you've got, Natsu." Akeno proposed.

"Of course... I'm all fired up!" He declared with a fiery attitude as Happy carried him into the air in which Akeno used her own devil wings to gain flight and attained the same distance and height between each other from the ground as the two friends looked at each other with determination.

"Here I go, Natsu-kun!" With a sly smile on her face, Akeno instantly formed a ball of lightning on her right hand and threw it towards the two without a moment to spare as Happy narrowly dodged it after pulling the two of them to the side.

"Lightning... Akeno-senpai sure looks strong." Natsu complimented.

"So what are we going to do?" Happy asked his companion as they float in mid-air, trying to analyze the black-haired girl's powers.

With a wide grin plastered on his face, Natsu coated his fists in flames as he gazed at her with excitement. This is going to be a good fight between them. Who would've thought he would get to face with Akeno in such a battle.

Aside from her unusual sadistic side, he wanted nothing more than a fierce fight between them.

"We'll give it all we've got, Happy... Let's do this!"

"Aye!"

And in just like that, the two partners began their assault towards Akeno as Happy used his Aera to close their distance with her in just a matter of seconds which somehow surprises her since she never expected the blue cat to use his proficiency in flying this good. Natsu locked up his right fist in determination as flames grew larger before trying to connect it right to Akeno who immediately dodged away with her devil wings and regained her distance away before summoning lightning right on her fingers.

"Lightning Strike!" Soon afterwards, a large yellow circle appeared right above the two as lightning began to struck down below as Natsu and Happy stared wide-eyed in surprise at the large scale attack towards them.

"You kidding me?!" Happy panicked.

 **"Fire Dragon's Roar!"** Without hesitating, Natsu let out a large burst of fire from his mouth as it shot out towards the circle, easily cancelling it before it could even do its spell on the two.

"Wow... You're awesome, Natsu!" Happy blurted out of amusement at his partner's display of power.

"Ara, ara... The fight is just getting started, Natsu-kun... Don't let your guard down." At the same time, Akeno replied with calm expression as she flicked her finger up above her and summoned another series of magical circles around the two as lightning struck everywhere in the vicinity in which Natsu and Happy hastily dodged before flying towards the black-haired devil with the former's counterattack.

And in just like that, the two began to trade blows of magic spells against each other as the field around them was simply treated by both lightning and fire that soon ravaged the entire area as they clashed with each other without holding back.

Shockwaves of force from their blows and surges of two destructive elements destroyed the forest below them as Natsu and Akeno continuously poured onto their powers to defeat the other.

Surprisingly, Natsu was able to fight toe-to-toe with her despite her status as the Queen which supposed to be the strongest piece in peerage. Akeno couldnt deny it either as she was also having a hard time dealing with him since his powers were as destructive as hers though with him being more common and powerful.

Despite those odds, she never lost her composure and continued to fight against him for long periods of time.

..

..

Eventually, a couple of minutes had passed and the two never even broke their stalemate as Natsu alongside with Happy panted with their breaths as they felt extremely tired from using up all their powers at once while Akeno only showed signs of slight exhaustion, seeing that she had better stamina than him.

If he happens to develop the same amount of stamina as hers, there's no doubt that she would win this fight.

Feeling the need to take a break, Akeno retreated her stance back and raised a hand towards the two.

"Let's give it a break for now, you two..."

"Eh? Now?" Natsu whined.

"Of course, we should rest a little and recover our magic before using it again until we get accustomed to it. It's one way to develop your powers further in this training. Plus, I think your buddy sure needs a little break also." She pointed over to the tired Exceed behind him as Natsu saw his already worn out expression in a comical way.

"A-Are we winning, Natsu?" Happy spoke, not knowing of what was happening in the situation since the two were fighting like otherworldly beings which insane powers that he can't handle.

"Oh, sorry about that... I guess, we should take a break then." Natsu apologized and the two soon began their descent towards the ravaged ground below them and settled together with Akeno who prepared a jug of hot tea to recover themselves from their fatigues.

..

..

The three settled onto a spared area of their battle as Happy took the hot tea first and relaxed himself from the stress. Natsu and Akeno went along as well as they brew on their tea to drink.

"So how's your body doing? Are there other abnormalities happening while training?" Akeno soon asked about his body in which he pondered for a moment as he whacked his thoughts about the things that might happen to bother him over the past few days.

"No... Not at all, I think..."

"I see... I'm glad." She rested in a relieved sigh.

"Hey Akeno-senpai, can I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"By the time we're facing off this Riser guy, what do you think what will happen?" He asked.

Hearing that kind of question from him, Akeno felt slightly troubled for a second but retained her composure as she slowly sipped onto her tea before replying to him.

"I don't think anyone would be able to predict of the outcome but I do know that our actions and our strength to stand and fight against him will determine the future."

"Is that so?" He stammered for a second before releasing a sheepish expression towards her.

"Why do you ask?"

"W-Well, I'm just wondering if I would somehow be able to protect you if something bad happens..." He replied with a frown as his eyes gazed on the ground below him in thought, wondering about if his powers would be enough to protect her and everyone. Akeno immediately understood of what he was trying to say. He was just worried about them. Even before he joined in the club, he became friends with them and that was the source of his reason to fight for their sake no matter how complicated the situation is even until now.

He always stands up for his friends and fights his way out of it without listening to reason. Like a brute who would punch through anything without a second thought until he finds the solution right infront of him. He's always been like that and it somehow made her happy, seeing that he greatly cares about them even if they're no humans.

..

..

She had to wonder... if he would be able to accept her true self once she revealed it to him. Will he still able to see her as the same? There are also some secrets that are not meant to be shared among friends but she knew that she don't want to hide it to everyone, especially to him.

However, that time has not yet come. Maybe some day, she would be able to tell him that and let him decide on how he would see her as who she is in the future.

Right now, the only thing worth doing is fighting to get stronger and staying by his side.

"I think you're more than enough to protect everyone, Natsu... You might not realize it but you're stronger than what you think. The strength to keep on fighting for others' sake is what makes you a strong person and everyone knows that. So don't feel that you're not strong, you're actually better than that. Even far from what I first saw in you, Natsu." She smiled warmly as she reached out her hand and touched his cheek with a reassuring expression.

"You really think so?"

"Mmm..." She nodded in response. "That's why no matter what happens in that battle, I'm always right beside you."

"Thanks, Akeno-senpai." His doubts have finally cleared. Somehow talking things with her surely calms his mind all the time.

"By the way, Natsu..."

"Yeah?"

"Can you call me Akeno from now on?"

"I-Is it alright? I mean, you're my senior so I had to..."

"Being a senior has nothing to do with it... Plus, I've taken a liking to you so at least, let's not be strangers with each other." She smiled but Natsu felt confused of the meaning behind her statement.

"What do you mean by that?" He asked confusingly.

"Nothing... Anyways, would you call me just by my name?"

"S-Sure... Well then, A-Akeno..." He stuttered.

"See, it's more easy..." She smiled in glee before standing up as she returned the jug back to the bag, leaving Natsu still confused though it was not long until he saw the face of Happy, deviously smirking from the distance with a mischievous intent.

"What?"

"Fufufu... She liiiiikkkkkeeeeessss you..." Happy hooted.

"Shut up..."

Brushing off his partner's tease, Natsu turned his attention back to Akeno who finished putting back all their tea and finally gazed back at the pinkette with a sincere smile.

"Let's go, Natsu..."

"Sure!"

And with that, the two continued their training together as the day came to an end.

* * *

 _ **Somewhere in an unknown desolate forest...**_

A man is seen walking towards a rugged path as the scorched landscape before him stretched as far out the eyes could see. Everything is simply left nothing with burnt trees and shrubs and a dead land which is all devoid of any life within it. The stretching night sky was eerily blue as the moon shone bright on the same color down to the wasteland, casting shadows that creates the illusion of entities that surround the area itself.

From the center was a small open area with a pond, completely devoid of dead trees as it looks like to be unaffected from the rest of the forest itself. It was the only area in the forest to be left untouched by the disaster that struck here as the hooded man came to a abrupt halt between the dead soil and the one from the other side.

He waited for a few moments as if he was expecting something would happen.

It was then, a burst of water erupted from the pond as a naked female figure rose from the pond, slowly arching her body up high with her face facing the blue night sky with drips of water sliding from her smooth skin. Her long pale blue hair majestically sways on her back as the night sky reflected on it, giving off a cold but somewhat enticing atmosphere. Her face resembled that of a beautiful woman that might rival that of female deities from mythological legends.

Soon afterwards, she began to lower her head down towards her breasts, adorning it in a few moments before eventually turning towards the hooded man who was waiting at the other side.

"Pardon my intrusion..." The man spoke briefly but the naked woman only stared oddly for a moment before gazing to another direction and ascend from the pond waters which soon reveals her true body drenched in water as the illuminating blue light reflected some of it from her skin.

"It's quite unusual for a Maou like you to walk into this place... An arising problem, perhaps?" The woman spoke with dignity as she proceeded to change into her new set of clothes settled on the side of the pond.

"No... I'm afraid that's not the case... It's about the Rating Game system." The man continued in which the woman quirked her brow in curiosity as she took a short glance at the man before returning back to her doing.

"What's this about the system? Does it require my presence? Or my intervention?" She replied.

"More to the former it seems... There's no problem regarding the system."

"How unusual... For you to just walk all the way here to call my presence in some Rating Game. Have the world started to stir its problems towards here, Beelzebub?"

"No, I think not... At least, not yet... But I'm sure this will find you curious as well since this has just came from one of Sirzechs' subordinates as it has also been the first time an issue like this was reported in request for a Rating Game." The man called Beelzebub replied.

"A request?" The woman asked in confusion.

"Exactly... A request to temporarily change the system of bringing out beings aside from devils to the Rating Game..."

"Bringing out beings aside from devils? What does it have to do with me, Ajuka Beelzebub?" The woman asked in suspicion.

"I thought it would be interesting to require the presence of the Chaos Karma Dragon on this specialized Rating Game between two pillars of the household. And since this will be our first time changing the system for allowing other beings to enter to the Rating Game, I thought it would be also convenient to have you come along in case of a problem arising from it." Ajuka reasoned.

"You devils sure know how to cause trouble... It would be unpleasant if the other factions knew of my current standings in these world... These past few centuries have gone quiet on all sides due to your pointless war against each other... and the death of God. What more is needed to this silent world to be worth gazing upon at?" The woman spoke in displeasure.

"The war was unavoidable and the appearance of the other Sacred Gears that housed other beings such as the Two Heavenly Dragon Emperors have already surfaced-

Before he could even continue, he was cut off as the woman shot off an intimidating voice that slightly trembled the earth around them.

 **"Don't make me talk about that Dragon Emperor..."** For what it seemed like an otherworldly voice, the woman showed signs of resentment for mentioning such an unpleasant name before her.

"My apologies... Tiamat." Ajuka sincerely apologized.

"I presume you came here to talk about this specialized game in which required my immediate attention."

"Yes... That is correct."

"So what being are they going to place on that Rating Game...?"

Ajuka paused for a moment before finally speaking.

..

..

"A human."

* * *

 **A/N: And stop. How did you like the cameos? YEAH! Tiamat is finally appearing on the story! I kinda pictured her to be a woman with high standards and a very resentful attitude towards Ddraig since you know, that's what it said in the canon but nevertheless, by the time she meets and recognizes Natsu, she will change eventually. Oh, and don't forget about Ajuka.. He needs attention too guys. :)**

 **Well, I guess training is over but I kinda felt like I should add a bit more scenes of the training for the whole characters as well but I suppose I will give them a lot of screentime on to the next chapter which will be the Rating Game.**

 **Yes, the moment you've been waiting for is finally here. Let's go kick some Phenex ass, in exception for Ravel lol. Anyways, I post it all on the next chapter. Thank you guys for waiting and see guys again soon.**

 **\- wiErD SpeCtrumz blacking out... ... ...**


	12. The Battle Begins

**A/N: Greetings my fellow readers. wiErD here and I got another chapter for you.**

 **This would feature the first part of the fight between Phenex and Gremory. I'm not sure if I can fit in three chapters of the fight but if anything happens, it might fall into a two chapter duration of the fight together with some twists that would be bound in the near future.**

 **I was also thinking about the outcome of the fight, whether if I wanted it to end as a lose or win for Rias but meh, whatever floats in my head, I'll write it anyways.**

 **Now let's get the chapter going and started.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything in these two stories. All credits belong to their respective owners. Support the official releases.**

* * *

 **\- The Battle Begins -**

The last day of their training has finally ended and everyone geared themselves up to prepare for the upcoming Rating Game that is scheduled to come up in at least a few days after that. Everyone took a bit of a rest the next day after their return from the mountains but still honed their skills as sharp as they can be in order to maintain their full power until the fated day.

Everyone was feeling tense especially for the three since this would be their first time experiencing a real battle between two powerful high-class devils and its servants against each other. Even so, Natsu, Issei and Asia maintained a tough face throughout their nervousness as the time draws near for their battle to begin.

Natsu and Issei had been waiting near the hallway of their house while waiting in front of Asia room as the latter seemed to be the last one who is about to finish her things before heading out. They still have a lot of time to settle down so there's no need to rush.

"So this is it, huh?" Issei trailed off in thought.

"Yeah." Natsu could only nod in response.

"Nervous?"

"Kinda... Facing up against an immortal creature and a demon no less is actually impossible to beat..."

"Well, we have ourselves and the others... Despite being outnumbered, we can still kick their asses no matter how many times they regenerate." Pumping his left fist in determination, Issei let out a confident smirk on his face in which only Natsu grin in return.

"Right... We trained so hard to this very day... We can't let them get in the way without putting up a fight."

Moments later, Asia eventually emerged from her room as she opened the door and revealed her current attire. It was her old priest clothing when she was still a human back then. Seeing her in her old clothes confused the other two.

"You're wearing that?" Natsu asked.

"Y-Yes... Buchou said that we can wear anything that would make us comfortable so..." She paused as he immediately understood of what she was trying to say.

"I see..."

"Are you ready, Asia?" Issei asked.

"Yes... I'm ready." With the three seemingly agreed on heading out to the school grounds, Happy suddenly emerged from Natsu's room with comical teary eyes before sprouting his wings forth to meet the others.

"Naaatttssssuuu!" Without even looking at his direction, the blue Exceed flew and bumped right into the pinkette's chest as he tried to hug him tightly with a distressed look on his face.

"Happy?"

"It's unfair! Why can't I participate in the games?!" He whined before breaking into large sobs that made the others to sweatdrop.

"Well, Buchou was informed to pick one human to the Rating Game as an exception... You can't come along with me since you're not bound to me as my familiar, right?" He reasoned.

"But still..." Before he could even continue, Natsu proceeded in patting his head comfortably as he tried to calm the Exceed down for a moment with a warm smile on his face.

"Tell you what, we could somehow tell Buchou to at least let you watch the match... I hear that the student council guys will be observing this battle. You can always watch me take down this guys, alright." For sure, his suggestion made him slightly happy as his sad expression was instantly replaced with a beaming smile as he flew around in joy.

"Really?! I can get to watch?!"

"Yeah, sure... After all this, I'll treat us a lot of fish."

"AYE! I'm definitely rooting for you, Natsu... Everyone too! Give it your best!" Happy cheered which only lifted their spirits as a result before their usual conversation continued on for a few more minutes until they all went to the school via magic circle.

..

..

..

It didn't take long for them to reach towards the school grounds as the place was darkened in the night, having with little to no light shining the entire place as a result. The moon was at its brightest, sending down its illuminating light towards the dark world. After jumping into their destination, everyone emerged safely from it except for Natsu who had experience a brief wave of nausea bottling up from his body after taking that magical jump together with the others.

His sickness has already gone worse in these past few days.

There's nothing for him to do about it other than enduring it at least from now on.

After getting help from Asia, the three together with the Exceed trudged along the path towards the old school building where the meeting of all club members was supposed to be held together with the plan to come up to counter their enemies movements.

A few minutes passed and the group managed to reach to the club room as they all saw Akeno, Kiba, Koneko and Rias waiting inside. It seems like they came in early than them, seeing that they were all ready and geared up for the match.

"Good evening, everyone... It seems like you three just made it in time." Rias called out in relief.

"Well, we got some things to take care of but we got here okay." Natsu reassured.

"Good... Before we could start, there's just a few things I need to announce before you all..." Rias paused for a moment before clearing her throat to continue her statement.

"... As you can see, this will be our first ever Rating Game against Riser who has more experience in these than me. The odds will be against us since we're also outnumbered in terms of chess completion. But don't let those things weigh you down, we still have our own set of formidable weapons against them. We trained ourselves to the very best and pushed our limits to the very edge to unlock some of our skills to further enhance our arsenal."

"I got something, I've been wanting to use for quite some time now... I can't wait to use it in the battlefield." Issei spoke with confidence.

"Me too..." Natsu added along with his brother.

Rias could only nod in response to their statements before continuing.

"Also, this match will be also observed by my brother who is one of the Four Great Satans that govern Hell..."

"You're brother is a Maou?!" Natsu and Issei stuttered in surprise.

"I forgot to tell you, didn't I? Sorry about that, I guess we haven't got the time to discuss while we're training... Also, Sona and Tsubaki will also act as spectators to observe the match just in case anything went wrong on the system." As she said that, the doors suddenly opened, revealing the mentioned two girls who the same anticipation on their faces.

"Excuse us..." Sona bowed along with her queen.

"Good evening, Sona... We were just talking about you." Rias greeted.

"Good evening, Rias... I suppose they would know that we're acting as spectators of this match."

"That seems like it."

"By the way, there's also someone who will also watch the match aside from Sirzechs-sama..." She informed which somehow made the crimson-haired devil to tilt her head in confusion.

"Who?"

"Ajuka Beelzebub." After stating that name, some of the other old members of the peerage together with Rias widened their eyes in surprise.

"Ajuka-sama?!" Akeno stammered.

"Yes... Apparently, he came here in curiosity of the human that is brought here in exception to participate in the games. After all, this was the first time a human is sent out to participate in the Rating Game. Surely, that would also raise attention to the other devils as well." Sona explained.

"I see... Have they said anything about him?" Rias asked.

"No... Not at the moment. Not until they get to see him battle against Phenex then it would probably give them opinions towards that boy afterwards. Nevertheless, I think they will not try to pry in further to the subject. The presence of a human in the Rating Game and the showdown between two great pillars are mostly likely the reason why he and the other devils are watching." She reasoned.

"Then I suppose there's nothing we could do about it... For now, there's a battle worth winning for."

"I know... Best of luck to you, Rias."

"Thank you, Sona..." But as they were about to part ways, Natsu turned in to speak towards the short black-haired girl, prompting her to turn around in curiosity.

"Excuse me..." Natsu called out.

"What is it?"

"Can he join in the spectating too? I mean, I just want a favor that he could watch out battle from here since he can't join along with me." He carried the blue Exceed in his arms in which Sona gazed at it for a moment before closing her eyes in content while fixing her glasses for a moment.

"It's not that of a big deal... Sure, he can watch." She replied which made the two smile as Happy flew over to her before giving his last glance towards Natsu.

"Good luck, Natsu... Show 'em what you're really made of!"

"Leave it to me, Happy."

After giving themselves a nod, the three eventually headed off the room, leaving the Occult Research Club members alone in the dark room once more. With a minute ticking down to the start of their fight, everyone waited as the time ticked into its last seconds. It didn't take long as the timer clicked into its final countdown as the group soon began to feel some sort of heavy feeling, seeing that the match has finally started.

It was only felt for a brief amount of time until it vanished completely, causing the others to ask in confusion.

"What just happened?"

"We're transported through the battlefield where the Rating Game was held." Rias answered.

"But... we're still in school."

"Well, we are but technically, not at the same time." She began to stand up from her desk before opening the window beside her and revealed the outside to the other three.

The skies itself were lit with many illuminating colors, unlike from what they see at night. At first, they mistook it as auroras but the distortion seen towards it made them realize that they were in some sort of barrier. Other than that, the rest of the school seemed to be intact and left unchanged during the initiation of the match.

"As you can see... This is a different space dimension which teleported us and simply made a replica of our school as well."

"You mean, they used the school as the battleground?" Issei asked doubtfully.

"Yes... The Rating Games are decided by the organizers who happens to be also watching this fight... We should be fortunate that they used this instead of something else." Rias explained.

"Well, that explains it..."

"In any case, we should formulate our own strategy by now... Akeno, I want you to set up a barrier at the forest just in case some of Riser's pawns tried to sneak up into our base. We also need to set up traps somewhere nearby to slow them down. Kiba will take stage on the forest to act as a guardian. Also, bring out all your familiars and set them to strategic locations for reconnaissance of the enemy's movements..." She paused as she took out her bat familiar along with the others and sent them out to scout different locations.

"... Riser will likely send his underlings first rather than bringing out his strongest units in the course of the battle... He's underestimating me and we all think that it's one thing that will let his guard down when facing against us. We should use this opportunity and bring out the best of our abilities to knock him out."

"Yes, Buchou..." Everyone nodded in response.

"Our first target would be this gym at the center of the battlefield. In every battle, one side must take the center in order to gain advantage... We'll going to secure it and if we're met with resistance, we will respond in the same manner. Koneko, Issei and Natsu will be the ones attacking this place. Asia will stay with me in the meantime since she can't fight alone... The objective is to secure the place, there's no need for us to get rid of the enemies once you defeated them. Whatever you do, don't engage them until they attacked first."

"Why?" Natsu asked.

"We need to save up our energy for the other enemies to come... Riser has a complete set of his pieces and we cannot risk anyone getting exhausted and ambushed at the same time. We all need to take turns of whoever needs to rest."

"Good point..."

"I think that's all for the plan on this battle... We should start soon."

"Yes..." As the group prepared themselves downstairs, except for Asia who is ordered to stay with the president, Rias called out to Issei for something she wanted to mention beforehand.

"Issei..."

"Yes, Buchou..." Said brunet turned around in confusion.

"Please sit in my lap for a moment." She offered which somehow got the Boosted Gear holder to suddenly widen his eyes in response.

"I-Is it okay?!" He asked in which Rias smiled in response. In a brief moment, something perverted just came out from the brunet's mind as he laid his head down to her lap, feeling the tender soft skin of the redhead which only made him fantasize even more erotic scenes that he could think of. Thanks to that, his face was an obvious give-away as Asia puffed out in irritation as his perversion while Rias didn't mind a single bit before doing her thing for him.

"This is going to feel weird for a moment... Endure it for now." After saying that, she slowly lifted her hand just right above his head before a heavy feeling crept up to Issei's body almost instantly as he could feel a sudden surge of power coursing through him. It's as if his powers has suddenly doubled after feeling that sensation.

"W-What was that?"

"I simply released one of the seals I placed onto you in order to keep some of the dragon's powers in check..."

"Dragon powers? You mean the Boosted Gear?" Rias could only nod.

"That's right... The moment you were resurrected, your current body cannot hold much of the Boosted Gear's powers altogether. That's why I placed some seals on your body in order to maintain it. Now that you've improve your strength, I think you're more than enough to take a significant portion of the dragon's powers... Use them wisely."

"Yes, Buchou..."

"But don't forget... the true potential of the Sacred Gear will be achieved if the will of the user is strong... I'm sure you'll be able to use it also in this fight... Believe in your strength, Issei and that will be the key to our victory."

"Of course... I won't let you down, Buchou."

"That's good... Now show them what Gremory is really made of."

"YES!"

..

..

* * *

 _ **A few minutes later... (Near the gym...)**_

Both Koneko and Natsu had been standing right in front of the gym entrance as Issei came into view behind them after being called back by Rias to do something before heading out. So far, there hasn't been any movement going on around the place as the very building itself hasn't got anything suspicious at the moment but Natsu could smell the danger in the air as he kept his guard while Koneko readied her gloves for combat.

"What took you so long? We're about to head in without you..." Natsu asked in curiosity.

"Got something to take care of with Buchou... I'm all up and ready." Issei replied before using his Boosted Gear on his left hand that soon charged up into one boost.

"Hope it was worth it..."

"We're going in..." Koneko butted in as she punched the doors open, causing it to break loose from its hinges and fell down as a result. The two sweatdropped in response as they look at the white-haired junior with shocked faces.

"Why break the door? Aren't we going to sneak in?" Issei asked.

"The enemy's already here... There's no point in hiding." She replied as she headed inside which soon followed by the two as they found the interior to be quite empty and dark since the light wasn't turned on at the moment.

.

.

After a few moments of walking inside, Natsu immediately caught wind of multiple unknown scents coming from the other side as he summoned his flames in response which soon got the other two to raise their guard before gazing over to the opposite end of the gym. Soon afterwards, four silhouette figures made their way inside as the lights soon lit up the entire gym, revealing the mysterious intruders in the process.

Four girls revealed themselves in front of the three as one of them wore a Chinese costume, specifically a navy blue qipao. She had a shoulder-length black hair accompanied by blue-green eyes. A pair of Chinese buns are seen on both sides of the air and a white sash is wrapped on her stomach. Another is a pair of young twins, seemingly with the same turquoise hair color which is also both tied into identical ribbons on the same side of their hair. One disturbing feature is that they both carry a pair of chainsaws in their hands which soon ruins the character that Natsu and Issei first portrayed them to be.

And lastly was the same girl who had fought against Issei in their first meeting. The same girl who still has her staff in her hands, wearing a white haori which is worn under a red happi coat. Multiple bandages were seen on her arms that also reaches towards her forearms and shins. Four short pony tails are seen on her blue hair as they made towards the center with anticipation.

"We meet again, Rias's servants..." Mira announced.

"How unfortunate for you but this place is under our control already... If you want to take it, then come and fight us." The Chinese girl replied with her fists up and ready.

"Even the rumored human is also here... I wonder what can he do in this fight." One of the twins perked up in curiosity while also starting their chainsaws as they whirred loudly into the air.

"Don't underestimate them, Ile, Nel... That boy managed to stand up on his own against Mira." The Chinese girl warned before looking back to the trio.

"...I suppose we haven't introduced ourselves... I'm Xuelan. Riser-sama's rook." She declared.

"Mira... Pawn."

"Ile... Nel... Pawn!" The twins replied merrily.

On the other hand, the trio also returned the same favor.

"Toujo Koneko... Rias' rook..."

"Hyoudou Issei... Pawn!"

"Natsu Dragneel... Eh... I dunno what to call myself... A human, I guess?" He scratched his head sheepishly. The others looked at him with blank looks.

"... What?"

.

.

"Anyways, let's get this started... we don't want Riser-sama waiting around for his wedding so we'll have to finish you all here right now." The four declared before they started onto their battle stances in which the trio also did the same.

"Tsk... Deciding the match when they still haven't fought against us... These girls are sure as cocky as their master." Natsu clicked his tongue in irritation.

"In any case, we should take them out and prove them wrong... I still have a score to settle with that woman." Issei shifted his gaze towards the bluenette with a confident smirk.

"Let's go..." Koneko spoke blankly as she charged ahead of them and engaged with Xuelan without a moment's notice, leaving the two to deal with the three other pawns in front of them.

"I'll take you on, Rias' pawn!" Mira declared as she pushed Issei away with her staff while Natsu was left to dealing with twins who on the other hand, whirred their chainsaws even louder to show its deadly potential towards him.

"We'll cut you down, human..." Ile beamed.

"You shouldn't meddle yourself in the affairs of the devils!" Nel proceeded to charge towards him with a chainsaw in hand as she tried to swipe it down on his head until she was stopped as Natsu easily stopped the chainsaw with his bare hands which also stopped the chain from spinning in the process. Both twins widened their eyes in surprise at the situation as Nel backed away for a bit while holding onto her weapon as Natsu stood there unmoving for a second until he slowly moved into a battle stance before flames spewed out from his fingers and not before long revealing his confident grin towards them.

"I'm all fired up... Come at me with all you've got!" He declared.

Taunting them however, only fueled their growing anger towards the pinkette as the twins whirred their chainsaws again before charging towards him without stopping.

"Don't make light of us!"

..

..

..

Meanwhile, Koneko and Xuelan have both went into a hard fist-to-fist combat as both rooks traded huge blows and punches right unto each other without holding back. The forces of their attacks created miniature shockwaves, especially when their small fists collided with each other. Both of them shared injuries and pain as some of their punches managed to connect to each other's body but still maintaining their composure, seeing that they both possessed great offense and defense.

"You fight pretty well, Rias' rook... However, you should know by now that you're facing against a Phenex... Our immortality granted us advantage over your pathetic servants..." Xuelan boasted.

"Shut up and fight... Riser's rook." Koneko answered with a blank tone as she nailed a right fist onto the girl's face, staggering her for a moment until she tried to counter her with a left hook.

Koneko had enough time to dodge the incoming strike as she leaned down for a moment as the hook barely went past her face but the force of the attack, created an invisible gale that somehow ripped her uniform in half, revealing her undergarments as a result.

Leaping away to recover, Koneko showed no signs of embarrassment at the moment and simply disregarded her torn clothes before turning her attention again towards Xuelan with the same blank expression.

"This is nothing..."She muttered.

"Heh, let's see if you can still say that for that long." Xuelan mocked before raising her fist again to fight.

.

.

It was not long until Issei managed to get a glimpse of the situation between them and could only drool in response after seeing her near nude form, causing her to blush.

"Pervert..." Koneko hissed.

"I wasn't looking!" He poorly defended himself but his face could clearly see the truth.

"Focus on the fight!" It was then another voice resounded from behind as Issei narrowly dodged an incoming strike towards him before looking at Mira who had her staff with her as her weapon against her.

"Man, that was close..." Issei panted in relief.

"It seems like your master had trained you very well... Even after taking some of my attacks, you were still able to stand." Mira remarked.

"Well, I didn't waste my time moping over my loss... I've trained myself to defeat you and your master in this match..." Issei retorted before another boost resounded from his gauntlet.

"Only a fool would go against Riser-sama... There's no devil on this world that could outmatch him."

"We'll see about that..."

"Enough of this ramble... I'll finish you once and for all."

"Same here..."

The two contenders dashed right towards each other once more as Mira overpowers Issei in terms of speed and agility. Fortunately, he was able to stand up on his own and take several hits from her staff before trying to counter her with wide swings from his gauntlet in which she easily dodged in the process.

"Damn it!" Issei cursed as his attacks doesn't seem to catch up to her speed.

 **[Boost!]**

"You're too slow!" Mira managed to send another bone-cracking thrust on his back that made the brunet to stumble forward but not long before he recovered as his gauntlet finally finished it charge.

 **[Boost!]**

 **[Explosion!]**

"Even if you managed to use that, you won't be able to attack me with the sloppy movements of yours." Mira mocked.

"Let's see..."

But before they could even continue, a voice resounded from above as the announcer soon began to call out the first elimination of devils.

 _"Riser-sama's two pawns have retired from the battlefield."_ Everyone gazed at the other parts of the gym and they saw Natsu standing triumphantly with scorches and burns surrounding his vicinity before dusting his clothes off as he placed a thumbs-up to his teammates. Xuelan and Mira, on the other hand were simply surprised at the sudden change of events.

The pinkette was able to defeat two of their pawns without breaking much of a sweat. Even Issei and Koneko took caution at the scene, seeing that he easily dealt his opponents without even trying.

"W-What the?" Mira stammered in surprise which resulted her to lower her guard, giving the brunet the opportunity to strike back.

"An opening!" In an instant, Issei tapped Mira's shoulder as a small magical circle appeared on the area where he placed his hand. He also proceeded in charging towards Xuelan without warning and shoved her back with the same manner as a magic symbol appeared onto their bodies.

"What are you trying to do?" Koneko asked.

"Behold! The secret technique that I've developed over the past few days of training! A power to defeat opponents like you!" He turned one last glance towards the two remaining enemies before closing his eyes to image his spell.

..

 **"Dress... Break!"**

..

Snapping his fingers together, both clothes of the two girls suddenly got torn apart, causing them to kneel down in humiliation as they tried covering their exposed parts and other private sectors of their bodies. A huge blush went towards the two before being followed by a loud irritating shriek.

"Kyaaaaa!"

Koneko turned on the brunet in disgust while Natsu looked at him with a blank expression.

"Disgusting pervert..." Koneko hissed.

"O-Oi... What's this spell you just casted?"

"A power against women! I've been developing this spell back at the training camp using Asia's help to perfect it!"

"Hey! You're using her as a training dummy?!"

"Yeah... Why?"

"No wonder she always had that red face whenever she comes back in the house at night..." Natsu realized. "But still, I can't believe you would use her to do something like that... Are you mad? It's her we're talking about here!" He glared in irritation.

"Save your scolding for later. I have to save these images into my head right now." He looked at the other naked two with a perverted look.

"Enemy of woman!"

"Lecher!"

"I have to agree on those two as well." Natsu replied.

Before they could even continue, a voice was heard from their ears as Rias began to ask their situation.

 _"Koneko, Issei, Natsu... Get out of there now... Akeno is preparing to initiate her spell. Make sure to get a safe distance and flee from the scene..."_ A couple of nods went afterwards as the three hastily sprinted outside and set aside their arguments for the time being, leaving the remaining two confused at their actions.

Moments later, they made it outside but it was not long until a large lightning strike went down from above which instantly destroyed the entire gymnasium, leaving only a pile of burning debris as the trio looked at the sky and saw Akeno successfully bringing down her spell just in time.

 _"Riser-sama's pawn and rook retired from the battlefield."_

Everyone could only watch as Akeno slightly licked her mouth in enjoyment of her actions as her sadistic nature simply covered her whole personality in an instant. Natsu and Issei could feel a shiver of fright running through their spines as she casted a somewhat seductive glance over to the group.

"Take..." She said.

.

.

On the other hand, spectators began to evaluate of the actions done by Rias as the battle progresses to the center stage. Sona had her hands placed below her chin with a deep thought while Tsubaki stood firmly beside her like a loyal knight. Happy was the only other spectator to be granted the access to watch the match without having any affiliations.

"Destroying a strategic position which rendered both sides to unable to secure, huh? Quite a bold move." Sona deduced.

"Why is that?" Happy asked.

"Probably she wanted to take it as a bait to lure out Riser's servants... Also, destroying it will prevent them from getting any advantages to each other so they'll have to rely on different position to take the other down." She explained.

"Heeeh..." Happy drawled confusingly.

"In any case, the real fight has just begun."

.

.

Going back to the trio, Natsu and the others watched as the gym collapsed altogether due to the lightning strike that also generated a large explosion in the process. It seems like they just got out in time before Akeno could even initiate her lightning spell towards it.

"We made it out somehow." Issei took some huge breaths for a moment as the others regained their composure and returned back to the situation at hand.

"Yeah..." Koneko nodded.

"Now what?" Natsu asked.

 _"For now, take position near the destroyed gym and wait for orders... We'll have to wait Riser to make his move before we could act out again. Hopefully, that would send a bit of a caution to him now that we successfully defeated some of his servants... Kiba will be joining you soon and if nothing happens, I'll send the four of you together with Akeno to the field for a full-scale attack."_ Rias explained.

"Yes, Buchou..." Everyone nodded in response.

As soon as her voice signed out to their ears, Natsu and the others breath a sigh of relief as they settled themselves to the ground for a moment, checking their statuses as of now.

"You alright?" Natsu asked the white-haired girl beside him who had her arms covering her exposed undergarments due her fight against Xuelan earlier.

"Fine... This is nothing."

"Are you gonna keep up fighting like that?" Issei turned to ask which only made Koneko to suddenly raised her guard in defense.

"I hate perverts." She muttered with a displeased tone before standing up and tried to walk away. Natsu and Issei could only look at each other for a moment before looking back at the fleeing girl.

"Did I do something wrong again?" Issei asked.

"It's because you were thinking something lecherous to her... That's what." Natsu deadpanned.

"I didn't think anything yet... I just asked!" He protested. Natsu sighed at his reponse.

"Anyway, I'll go talk to her about it." The pinkette stood up from his seat and went after her, leaving the brunet together with Akeno who had just descended down to the ground moments later.

.

.

Natsu slightly paced faster to catch up to Koneko as he neared to her in just a few seconds.

"Hey, Koneko... Listen, I'd just like to talk about-" But just as he was about to finish, a large purple circle appeared above their heads as a magic symbol glowed underneath them, shocking Koneko in the process.

In an instant, she glanced back to Natsu who was surprised as well and tried to tackle him away from the circle itself.

"A bomb!" She shouted.

However, before anyone could even react, the magic symbol glowed in bright light until it resulted into a massive explosion that caught both the pinkette and the white-haired girl in the vicinity, resulting them to be caught in the blast. Akeno and Issei stared in shock as the blast detonated just moment before they could even realize it's a trap and were left distraught as two of their friends were engulfed in the massive explosion just now.

The blast generated multiple gales that blew the ground together with the two as they held their footing from it.

"Natsu! Koneko!"

 _"What happened?! Issei... Akeno... Answer me!"_ Rias tried to contact the other two but they were left speechless and powerless to speak as Natsu and Koneko were simply engulfed into the explosion.

It was not until then, another figure made her appearance to the group as Akeno glared in anger towards her with lightning sparks emitting from her very hands after seeing the person responsible for the blast.

"Yubelluna!"

Said woman floated above the skies with her staff at hand, adorning her work of eliminating her enemies with her spell.

"You bitch! I won't forgive you!" Issei shouted in anger as his gauntlet began to charge up once more

 **[Boost!]**

"Fufu... Take." She responded with a condescending tone before looking back to the fiery explosion once again. "It seems like you had your share of causing trouble to my master so I had to return the favor."

Akeno and Issei simply narrowed their gazes towards her with caution as the fight seemed to have continued once more.

..

..

 **SLURP* SLURP***

In the midst of the commotion, a slurping sound was soon heard from the explosion itself as the people around it turned around in confusion towards it before witnessing the fires beginning to spiral around into the center like some sort of a blackhole. It didn't take long for them to recognize what was happening until their eyes fell into shock and surprise as they saw Natsu absorbing the blast into his mouth, easily negating the effects of the explosion to them seeing that he didn't sustain any damage from it.

What's even more surprising is that he had Koneko buried into his chest with his arms wrapped around her to protect themselves from the blast itself. Even Koneko was surprised as well, seeing she was unable to process of what just happened.

A smirk went on its way on Natsu's face as he looked at the shocked purple-haired queen with a smug look.

"Woooh... Almost made it in time... I got to admit, it was pretty close back there. If I hadn't been faster, then we would all have been engulfed into the explosion." He patted his stomach for a moment. "Thanks for the meal, by the way."

"M-Meal, you say?" Yubelluna stuttered in surprise. The others looked at him with mystified looks.

"Takes some little time to use this power of mine but it seems like it's not just the immunity I get from it, I also get to use it to strengthen my power." Putting down Koneko beside him, the pinkette clashed both his fists together as flames began to erupt throughout his body, surging a lot of magical pressure around him which is felt by everyone.

"Tsk... Then, I'll just get rid of all of you at once." Yubelluna tried to point her staff at Natsu until a lightning strike went through her hand, causing her spell to deflect it trajectory as Akeno managed to avert her attention away from him.

"Your opponent is me, Bomb Queen..." Akeno declared.

"Hoh, I've always wanted to fight the Priestess of Lightning. How interesting."

"Natsu... Get everyone and meet with Kiba right now... I'll take her on myself." Akeno spoke as she glanced to the other three who for a moment, hesitated first but ultimately nodded at her suggestion as they all sprinted off away from the scene in order to avoid the big fight between queens. Issei and Koneko bid their good luck on the black-haired girl as Natsu was the only one left within the group.

He's still worried about Akeno no matter how powerful she is... Something tells him that these servants had something on their sleeves to make them so confident in this fight. Well, it's also a given to them now that everyone knew of his power. Any fire attack won't hurt him and would also try to use it against them and replenish his strength as well.

"Akeno..." He called out. Said girl turned briefly at him as their eyes met each other. "Go kick her ass!"

"You don't have to remind me at that." She smiled as they both nodded and eventually went into their separate ways as Akeno faced Yubelluna with determination written on her face.

"Shall we start this fight then?"

Both lightning and exploding magics surrounded the two as they began to engage against each other in a giant firefight between strongest pieces of their respective households.

* * *

 **A/N: And that's a stop. There's the first phase of the battle between Riser and Rias. Hope ya like it. Phase two would probably feature more fight scenes and powerups as well.**

 **As always, leave a comment and tell me what you think.**

 **Thanks again for the support you've been all giving to me while also waiting patiently on the updates. It really makes me happy and motivated at the same time.**

 **Well, that's all for now. Let's see each other again on the next chapter.**

 **\- wiErD SpeCtrumz blacking out... ... ...**


	13. The Wrath Within

**A/N: Hello guys, wiErD here and I've got another chapter for you.**

 **This features the phase two of the battle in Riser Arc.**

 **Hope ya like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't anything from these two masterpieces. All goes to their respective authors. Support the official releases.**

* * *

 **\- The Wrath Within -**

As the three fled from the battlefield between Akeno and Yubelluna, Natsu and the others continued their route towards Riser's territory as they marched on the sides, avoiding any sort of contact from other enemies. Their mission is to meet up with Kiba if he ever finishes up his task on defending the backdoor of their base. Originally, they planned to take Akeno with them but with their opponent queen being sent out early as possible, they had to go ahead without her.

Stopping for a moment to recollect themselves from the situation, Issei panted for a moment and not before he looked at the pinkette with an extremely curious look on his face after seeing something amazing earlier.

"How the hell are you able to do that?" He asked in question as Natsu turned towards him in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that! How did you cancelled the explosion?!" Even Koneko who had been saved by him looked towards him in curiosity.

"I don't know... I just know how to do it..." He replied. To be honest, learning his power somewhat comes naturally to him without breaking a sweat. Although he didn't know why but somehow, he felt like he did like this before some time ago. However, it was impossible to think about it since he didn't do anything like this back when he was still a kid.

On the other hand, his past memories before he even came to the Hyoudou Residence might tell him something about it and he still haven't recovered any bit of memory of it until now. The only thing he could do is to focus on the fight and try to utilize his power to defeat their opponents.

"Even so, that was pretty badass... I mean, you could eat flames? That's just sick!"

"Thanks... I guess." Before he could even continue their conversation, he felt a light tug in his shirt as he glanced around and saw Koneko with a slightly shy face expression towards him before muttering something.

"Thank you..."

"We friends need to watch each other's backs, right? Plus, this battle is far from over... We need to get to Kiba and go all out together to make way for Buchou."

"Yes!" The two nodded in unison.

But as they were about to move out again, an announcement was soon heard from the skies.

 _"Riser-sama's three pawns have been retired from the battlefield."_

"Well that's our cue... Kiba should be making his way towards us soon." Natsu spoke in which the other two nodded in response as they began to move out once again towards their designated location.

..

..

Meanwhile, Rias and Asia waited on the room back at the club as the former continued to think up a strategy to force Riser out of his base. After the whole incident with Natsu, she was thankful that he was able to save Koneko at the nick of time however, this soon adds up more curiosity on the mysterious power he is currently wielding and the thought of other devils watching their fight right now would undoubtedly try to attract more attention than it originally had been.

She predicted of what's to come for exposing Natsu right in front of the high-class devils. They will undoubtedly try to recruit him by any means necessary to exploit his powers afterwards. Even if they were able to win this fight, Natsu will become the center of attention for the other devils and it would create more rivalries from the other pillars towards hers.

She also doesn't know of his brother's intentions once this comes out since he only focused on the arranged marriage between her and Riser. She could only hope that he won't take part on this matter seriously and somehow help them in warding the others from Natsu.

Shaking her thoughts aside for the pinkette, Rias turned her attention back on the battle as the recent announcements of the eliminated opponents came up shortly after Kiba's victory over them.

"It seems like we also need to move..." She muttered into herself as she bit her lip in thought in which Asia responded with a confused look.

"What do you mean?"

"We need to force Riser out of his throne in order to expose him outside in the battlefield and I think I just have the right thing to do it." She closed her eyes for a moment before opening them up again and stood up.

"... We're heading out. I'm relaying this to the others as well."

Lifting her hand close to her right ear, Rias began to communicate with the others as well.

..

..

 _"Change of plans... I'm about to head off as well to the battlefield."_ Others took notice of her plans as they all began to reply back.

"Buchou... wouldn't that be exposing yourself right infront of the enemy? If Riser manages to defeat you, it's all over." Issei replied.

"Riser wants me where he wanted me to be... If I let myself cornered, he will come after me which also exposes him... In that way, both kings will be vulnerable to any attacks from the pieces. Plus, I'll have to fight if I wanted to win this fight." She declared.

"... I'll send in all three of you to the base as diversion to lure out all of the other remaining pieces in order for me and Asia to sneak right pass through... Kiba should also come along as well. I need all of my pieces to show up in order for him to take the bait. Is that clear?"

Everyone hesitated for a moment but decided to place their trust on her and agreed on her plan.

"Yes!" With a unified reply to each other, everyone began their move as Natsu, Koneko and Issei ran towards the track and field course. It didn't take long until Kiba reunited with them as he swiftly jumped out from the bushes and readied his sword to fight.

.

.

"Where the hell have you been?" Issei asked.

"Cleaning things up... Just about done in changing my objective since Buchou changed plans..." He replied with a cool accent.

"Well, we're all here... We might as well should begin our mission!" Natsu smiled wide.

"Right behind you." Koneko added with a blank expression.

With the four charging in towards the empty field they all stood on each other as Issei brought out his Boosted Gear once more together with others bringing out their powers.

Punching the ground with sheer force, Natsu roared in the skies as he began to call out the rest of Riser's peerage.

"COME OUT HERE! WE'RE HERE, YOU KNOW! ARE YOU SCARED OF US?!" Shouting out a taunting remark, it didn't take long for the other team to respond as seven girls emerged from the shadows near the building where Riser's base is located. They all wore in different types of outfits varying from delicate formal outfits to their battle suits and maiden outfits. Flame-like wings sprouted widely which serves as their flight, seeing that they all can fly freely granted from the power of the Phenex.

They descended down to the ground in a couple of seconds before facing the other four who readied themselves against them.

"It's about time all of you showed up here... Some of us here can't wait to avenge our fallen comrades." One of the girls spoke with a slightly angered tone as she thrusts her giant sword right before her, causing the ground beneath her to crack. Beside her was also a woman with brown hair donning an armor with swords and daggers strapped right on the side of her waist.

It only made the four to assume that they're the two knights of the Evil Pieces.

"That's what they get for underestimating us." Natsu taunted.

"Then I'll make sure to remind you all that you're foolish enough to face someone like Riser-sama."

There were only a few exchange of words between them as Natsu and the others began to charge towards them in which five of them met up with them on a battle clash. Kiba got himself paired with one of the knights, Koneko faces a pair of cat twins, Issei got himself a rook which he groaned in response due to the poor selection of his opponents lately while Natsu faces the other knight with a large sword.

It all seemed like a fair fight between sides as they all called out their respective magics and began to clash towards each other, bringing in another phase of the match between Rias' peerage and Riser's peerage.

.

.

On some part of the match up, Kiba and the unknown knight began their introductions.

"I'm the Knight that serves Riser-sama, Karlamine... It's pleasing to have another knight to keep me company in this pointless fight." Karlamine unsheathed her sword which soon burst out in flames.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that. I'm Kiba Yuuto, Rias Gremory's Knight... A battle between Knights had been a dream of mine." Kiba responded with the same manner as he took out his dark sword in the process before moving into his battle stance.

"Well said... Rias Gremory's Knight... But I'll be the one who will defeat you!"

And in just like that, she dashed right towards him in fast speeds, leaving small gales from her feet due to the quickness of her moves in which Kiba responded with the same manner as he also dashed right towards her before a loud sound of metals clashing each other boomed throughout the area as sparks flew from all sides with the two knights sword clashing with each other.

They both retreated back after their power struggle and continued for another bout as they brought out a flurry of attack right into each other with each of them perfectly deflecting and parrying each of their own strikes.

Their speeds were so fast that their figures were only seen into momentary silver blurs followed by sparks from the clashes of their swords against each other.

...

Issei could only amaze himself as he saw Kiba in action firsthand. Well, he did saw him do his thing back at the extermination mission a few weeks back but for him to do such speeds like this is kinda insane. It looks like there's still some things he needed to improve if he wanted to become stronger like him.

Turning his attention right towards his opponent, Issei boosted his power once more as the green orb glowed once more into his gauntlet, charging up his power for every ten seconds.

His opponent seemed to be different from the others as she wore a black jacket and matching jeans with three leather straps located on both her arms. Her jacket had a wide collar which is slightly open that reveals her large breasts and cleavage and was also cut off at her midriff. She also wore a pair of fighting gloves similar to Koneko to enhance her blows.

Her light brown hair is somehow adorned with three red highlights across and a white mask to cover the right side of her face.

"So my opponent is you, huh." Issei asked in anticipation.

"Allow me to introduce myself... My name is Isabella. I'm a rook that serve under Riser-sama."

"Hyoudou Issei... Rias Gremory's Pawn!" Issei declared before another glow on his gauntlet appeared once more

 **[Boost!]**

"Well then, let's rumble... Rias' Pawn!"

With her hands raised up, she charged towards him with right hook in which he narrowly dodges as he could feel the air blowing away with each of her swings which only made him more cautious due to the force of her punches.

One hit can actually injured him way more than he bargained for. However, her speed is not as good as their knights and his enhanced reflexes that he gained from the training helped him avoid all those heavy blows.

"What's wrong? Can't attack now that you got yourself cornered with your allies... Rushing in front of the battlefield is not advisable even in army strategies."

"Heh, just waiting for the right time to bust up that beautiful face of yours." Issei retorted.

"Words like that can't faze me... I know what a type of man you are... You're a lecherous devil with perverted thoughts towards woman... I'm sorry to say but I'm not all the woman you normally see." She tried to kick him right in the stomach but Issei managed to arc his body enough to avoid the kick before leaping away from her before another boost resounded from his gauntlet.

 **[Boost!]**

 _"Not yet! I need more power to use boost my attacks in order to defeat her!"_

Isabella continued to her onslaught towards him as Issei was left avoiding her attacks due to his gauntlet still not collecting enough boosts to perform his powerful shots. Taking a hit from his stomach, Isabella moved on for an uppercut to his face as Issei flung backwards and immediately recovered in mid-air but not a long while he spurted out some blood from his mouth.

"Hmm… It seems like you're able to withstand yourself from devastating attacks. You're not the same person that Mira used to fight before. Rias Gremory must've train you very well." Isabella remarked.

"Of course… I didn't waste my time in the last few days. The training I had with Kiba and Koneko made me like this. I was glad that I trained with them otherwise, I wouldn't be able to last longer in this fight." Issei replied as another boost resounded from his gauntlet giving him a few more rounds to call out his counterattack.

 **[Boost!]**

"Hmph, let's see about that."

With his enemy continuing her assault on him, Issei could only grit his teeth in frustration as he was left to defend himself in the process while waiting for the gauntlet to power up into its fullest potential.

In the midst of the battle, Rias and Asia silently sneaked through the bush as they successfully made it pass the whole enemy since their attention was solely focused on the other four which gave them enough time to get into Riser's base and will eventually battle him there.

..

..

* * *

Natsu finally gets himself prepared as he faced one of the knights of their enemy which specializes speed. Aside from the big sword handled beside her, he could not underestimated his opponents that easily since he took caution to every fight he had during his first days towards the supernatural world. In any case, he'll have to finish up here and try to help Akeno in any way he can.

He had a feeling that she might be in danger if this fight drags on.

"I'm afraid this is where you would only come further... I don't know where you got yourself involved in this but I suggest you refrain from your position and leave." The blue-haired pony-tailed woman spoke.

"Sorry... but I'm far beyond to go back... Might as well carry on and kick that Rice's ass and head home." He replied nonchalantly.

"How dare you to mock our master's name?!" She lifted her giant sword pointed towards him.

"Don't get intimidated by him so easily, Siris... It's one of the fundamentals of the art of war. Making your opponents lose their focus and take advantage of the situation. I've seen all the types and you're not an exception." Another girl appeared from the sidelines in which Natsu took notice.

She was a beautiful young woman with a long blonde hair tied into twintails with large, drill-like curls and blue ribbons to keep them in place. She had several bangs lying on the front of her forehead. Her outfit features a light pink dress with white frills and a magenta ribbon bow at the front.

"Who are you? If it's a two versus one battle, I could take you both on together." Natsu flared up in flames but the girl dismissed his claims with a nonchalant look as she walked throughout the sidelines, observing the fight as if she was some referee.

"Oh, don't mind me… I'm not your opponent and I can't fight since my piece doesn't specialize in terms of combat and offensives. My name is Ravel Phenex, a Bishop in my big brother's chess piece." She replied.

"So you're a useless servant then. Wait- What did you just say?!" Natsu conclude but came with a huge shock after hearing something from her. A tick mark appeared on the girl as she looked at the pinkette with an irritated expression.

"I'm not useless… Good Satans, boys are so hard to deal with… In fact, I find it hard to believe that you actually have a pink hair…" She sighed.

"It's my natural hair color… Got a problem with that?"

"No… Just curious… But honestly, Rias Gremory sure do have a weird taste on men… One's a handsome man but also a sword-lover, the other was a pervert and now, a pink-haired human whom she still didn't bind as a servant." She looked at the pinkette from head to toe as if she was examining his very figure.

"Well, it's complicated… And I like it better this way." He gave a small smile as he faced the other two with determination.

"Seems like it… In any case, Siris is going to accompany you… Good luck with that." She sprouted her flame-like wings and soared above them together with the other girl who seemed to be in the same piece as her since she also doesn't fight.

Looking down on his opponent, Natsu began his attack on the sword wielder as she also charged towards him before giving a long wide slash towards him in which he easily dodged as he dived in front before using his hands to keep his balance on the ground before flaring up his feet ablaze and sent it towards her.

 **"Fire Dragon's Blazing Kick!"**

Siris quickly retracted her sword to block the kick towards her which soon made powerful gales around them before the force pushed her away, skidding for a few moments before looking at the pinkette in disbelief at the display of his power.

"What kind of power is that?" She asked.

Without giving her a reply, Natsu lunged in towards her almost instantly, grabbing her face with his right hand before setting it in flames before spinning them.

 **"Fire Dragon's Wing Attack!"** Flames shot out from all places as Siris was thrown aside and crashed into a nearby stall, shocking the two spectators from above at the tide of the battle.

"Siris!"

"Just so you know, I don't like holding back even if you happen to be a girl. Hurting my friends is one thing that I won't let pass if you try to hurt them." Natsu warned as he turned his attention towards the other two with an angered expression.

Before he could even continue, a large sword was sent towards him in blinding speed in which he easily caught which surprised the other two as he looked back towards the dust where Siris had crashed and saw her standing up from that attack earlier.

"And might I remind you that your opponent is me." Siris spoke as she stood defiantly towards him with a determined look in which made the pinkette smile as he threw back the sword towards her before flaring up again.

"I'm all fired up!"

As the fight continued outside, Rias and Asia walked from the entrance, making sure that they're not being followed by anyone at the moment. Asia held on to the crimson-haired devil as they wandered through the empty building until a familiar voice resounded from the stairs which soon caught their attention and turned towards it, only to see Riser standing right in front of them.

"I knew you would be here... My little Rias." Riser spoke.

"I'll end this fight here, Riser... You're completely cornered!" Rias retorted.

"You think you can defeat me with just an intimidation... I guess you should try harder and think for a moment of who's being cornered here." He replied.

"You lost almost half of your pieces... What more can you do against this pitiful situation?" She taunted.

"Heh, like I said, who do you think is cornered here, Rias..." Instantly summoning a flaming ball on his hand, Riser immediately threw the fireball towards them, shocking them in the process as Rias barely got enough time to sprout her wings and shield Asia before flying away as an explosion occurred afterwards, destroying half of the building and left nothing but embers and burned debris around in the vicinity.

Walking his way towards the destroyed area, Riser took a momentary look on their previous position before looking up and saw a hole in the ceiling which only made him chuckle.

"The girl is so persistent."

..

..

On the other hand, Karlamine seemed to have gained the upper hand as her sword manages to destroy Kiba's dark sword, leaving only his sword hilt on his hand.

"My Holy Eraser!"

"Your sword is no match for our flame... You should give up already, Rias Gremory's Knight!"

"Well let's see about that." Without having his composure falter from intimidation, Kiba held the sword hilt up front until ice began to form around it before shaping into another sword in which is now made of ice to seemingly counter the flame sword his opponent is currently wielding. Karlamine could only widen in shock as she saw another sword formed almost instantly on his opponent's weapon.

"You have another Sacred Gear?!" Thrusting down her sword towards him, Kiba parried on her strikes which soon froze the flame sword in the process, rendering the knight weaponless before grabbing a small flame dagger behind her back and tried to destroy his sword once more.

"Sorry but this is only as far as you go..." Kiba taunted as he created another sword in replacement of his destroyed one which now features a small dark hole that soon sucks up everything around them including the flame that was on her dagger as well.

"You bastard... Just how many Sacred Gear do you have?!" She demanded.

"I don't have many of them... More like I create them with my Sword Birth... With this, I can create any magic sword at will." Placing down his left hand down to the ground, he summoned an array of swords from underneath in which Karlamine barely dodged as she jumped away from the male knight with a frustrated look on his face.

Issei could only stare in awe at the knight's power.

"Woah... I never thought he got that kind of power." He spoke but not a long while his attention was called back as Isabella came rushing onto him with right uppercut which he tried to dodge as he leaned his body sideways before another boost came up on his gauntlet, signifying his full charge.

"It's here!"

He pointed the gauntlet towards her as a small red orb appeared on his palm.

 **[Explosion!]**

"Take this... Dragon Shot!" Locking his fist for a moment, Issei simply delivered a punch to the orb which soon turned into a giant red beam that simply went straight right to Isabella, missing her in just mere inches before resulting a large explosion in the far distance as everyone looked at its destructive power.

"T-That Sacred Gear... is something dangerous. I must defeat you right here and now!" Knowing the capability of his Sacred Gear, Isabella tried to finish off the brunet but he was able to dodge once again before returning a punch right towards her chest though resulting only a soft punch.

"Heh, that punch isn't enough to defeat me..."

"I wasn't aiming for that anyway... Burst it open, Dress Break!" Clicking his fingers once more, Isabella's clothes were instantly torn open, instantly exposing her assets much to her embarrassment.

"W-What's this-"

"So much oppai~ With this, I can get another power-up!" Moving with the same stance as before, Issei readied another shot towards her which soon only obliterated her completely as the rook disappeared from the vicinity before an announcement resounded from above.

 _"Riser-sama's rook has been retired."_

"Yes! I did it!" Ignoring the disgusted expressions of his opponents, Issei shared his triumph against his enemy with joy.

With this, another piece of Riser have been reduced.

* * *

On the other side of the battlefield, Akeno and Yubelluna have been exchanging their strong attacks at each other as both lightning and explosion wrecked the field around them, leaving nothing but destruction in each of their intense clash against each other.

Akeno pointed her finger straight towards Yubelluna as lightning bursts out from her finger and shot towards her in lightning speeds. The Bomb Queen changed her direction as she disappeared into a silver blur before reappearing some distance behind Akeno before lifting her staff towards her.

"I got you!"

"I won't let you!" Akeno quickly glanced about and shot another lightning strike towards her which collided with the bomb spell that soon resulted a huge explosion around the vicinity as both women were sent away due to its devastating force.

Akeno crashed on the ground as she let out a grunt shout of pain before ignoring it as she struggled to stand up on her knees before looking towards the other side where Yubelluna crashed into.

Her clothes were slightly tattered from their continued battle and her stamina isn't holding up either. Fighting against a fellow queen is surely difficult. Not to mention the type of magic she was currently holding.

Moments later, Yubelluna emerged from the crash with the same state as her as they both sustained injuries from their fight.

"I must say, you do possess such strong powers, Priestess of Lightning. Your title befits your very nature." Yubelluna remarked.

"Same goes to you, Bomb Queen." Akeno returned the favour.

"However, this is only as far as you go _."_

"Hmph, you making it seem like that you won this battle already… I'm just getting started." Akeno taunted as lightning flashed around her, showing her capability to fight for more.

"We will see."

As the two float into the air, Akeno and Yubelluna continued their intense clash of magics towards each other as both sides struggled to overpower the other. Their spells were literally smashing into anything after being deflected easily by their hands. The scale of destruction is nothing compared to that of her power back at her encounter with the fallen angels.

Both of them were giving their very best and tried to pull out the best of their abilities to take each other down. Despite all that, their fight ended in a fair stalemate though with Akeno slightly gaining the upper hand due to her usage of lightning against her enemy. Every strike that went through the Bomb Queen electrifies her body, sending a full wave of pain since lightning directly attacks and connects through the insides of the body.

What's even more dangerous is that one of those strikes could potentially paralyze her in the process if she was not careful.

Akeno summoned another ball of lightning on her finger as a large magical circle appeared right below Yubelluna before releasing a barrage of lightning strikes to the ground, engulfing her in a bright crackle of light before resulting a large explosion that could be heard from the other side of the battlefield.

..

..

At the same time, Natsu turned around in worry as the explosion occurred near where Akeno was fighting, slightly averting his attention away from his opponent before looking up in worry through the distance.

 _"Akeno..."_

"It's no use in worrying..." The same girl who had been blabbing nonsense throughout the fight began to speak as she also noticed his attention towards the other side of the field where their two queens were fighting against each other.

"What are you talking about?"

"That queen of yours is already defeated from the start... She can't outmatch our queen especially when she had an ace up on her sleeve to counter her."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Let me make this simple... One of your Bishop carries Twilight Healing... A support spell that can rejuvenate any person from their injuries. We, the Phenex household are known for our Phenex Tears."

"Phenex? What's that?"

"It's a special potion made exclusively from the Phenex household. One drop will instantly regenerate the user which in this case, our queen carries one... The battle has already been decided from the start. You're queen is doomed to be defeated later on."

"This is bad... Natsu, you have to get to Akeno and assist her... What she said is true about those tears and it's clearly a potion to regenerate any person who uses it!" Kiba advised.

"You don't have to tell me that!" In an instant, Natsu flared up his feet in flames, propelling him up high in the air before flying towards Akeno and their queen is currently fighting.

"I'm not letting you get away!" Siris tried to catch him but she was met with a clash as Issei came up to confront him with a determined look.

"Not if I can help it!"

"Issei..."

"Go, Natsu... Akeno needs your help... We'll handle this!" Issei collected his strength and pushed the knight back before a light glow appeared on his Boosted Gear.

 **[Dragon Booster Second Liberation!]**

"Trust us on this... Make sure you come back with her with us! I'll definitely continue fighting even if it takes my whole body to be battered all over! I'm Rias' pawn and I'll fight for her sake together with my friends." Moments later, Issei was then engulfed in a surge of power as his gauntlet transformed again before facing against his opponent once more.

"Alright... I'll leave them to you, Issei." Smiling in content, Natsu dashed away, leaving Issei, Kiba and Koneko to deal with the others.

 _'Wait for me, Akeno...'_

..

..

..

The battlefield around Akeno has gone completely destroyed as the tennis court have been reduced into multiple craters and destruction as she fought valiantly against Yubelluna with the same strength. Using her devil wings to flap away from the bomb spells aimed at her, she returned a series of magical symbols which generated lightning around it that will soon result a massive lightning explosion.

Yubelluna gritted her teeth in frustration as she found herself at her mercy as her spells aren't enough to knock out the queen. What's more is that she had more durability and stamina to last longer than her.

Pointing her staff towards her once more, she tried to lock her down with another bomb spell.

"That is useless!" Akeno shouted as she soared through the skies before massing a giant magic circle above her, engulfing the whole field around them and left the Bomb Queen completely exposed and trapped.

"It's over!"

Swiping her fingers down, Akeno brought down an array of giant lightning towards her, resulting into a flashing blast that could be heard throughout the map as dust and rubble flew around in all directions, showing off its destructive force.

Panting heavily on her breath, Akeno slowly floated away, waiting the whole aftermath of the battle between as she used up all her magic on that last attack. Judging from the her final attack, it was nearly impossible for anyone to escape that spell. It was designed to formulate a wide-area destruction and can potential kill anyone who is not prepared for it.

Moments later, the dust eventually settled, revealing a severely wounded Yubelluna who somehow survived the attack due to the use of her staff to shield herself from the blast.

"That was some pretty deadly spell, you got there, Priestess of Lightning... If I hadn't used my staff earlier then I would've been retired from the system." Yubelluna smirked despite her injuries.

Akeno could only bit her lip in frustration as she was unable to take her opponent down in one final move. Her magic is running low and it will take awhile for her to recover in the process. But situation she was currently having right now, prevents her from recharging her strength.

"In that case, I'll just have to use up every bits of my power to take you down." She replied back.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that." Picking up something from her robe, Akeno could only widen in disbelief as she recognize the potion she just brought out.

"That's-"

"You fell for it..." Taking the lid of from the bottle, Yubelluna took a drop unto herself as the wounds surrounding her body instantly vanished. Her strength was also restored almost instantly, seeing her aura becoming more stronger than ever than it was before.

"It's time for me to finish this fight... You fought well, Priestess of Lightning but this match is decided from the start."

Without giving her time to reply back, Yubelluna summoned an array of magical symbol around Akeno much to her surprise before she was enveloped in light until a series of explosions followed afterwards.

"Gaaaaaah!" Akeno could only scream in pain as the explosions torn most of her clothes, leaving her partially naked as she plunged straight to the ground.

"I'm surprised you survived that... Normally, it would be enough to retire you from the battle but I guess I underestimated you." She mused as she sends another magical symbol above Akeno before emitting another explosion that further wounded the lightning mage in the process.

Akeno struggled to stand up on her own as her body was all sore from the constant explosions and the depletion of her magic power from her last attack. At this rate, she's not going to hold up any longer.

Gritting her teeth in anger, she mustered some of her strength to stand up and tried to send a spell towards her but she easily deflected it, seeing that it was only a small lightning spark sent towards her.

"Give it up already, Rias Gremory's Queen... Once this is done, I'll dispatch your friends especially that pink-haired boy."

"Don't you lay your hands on him!" Mentioning the name of the pinkette, Akeno immediately went back up before releasing a surge of lightning wave from her hands towards her in pure anger. However, Yubelluna simply lifted her staff the protect herself from it before smirking in response at the exposure of her weakness.

"I see... It seems like I'll have a little fun with that human once I'm done here."

"Not while I'm standing! I'm not letting you hurt him!"

"This is the end!" Deflecting the wave easily, Yubelluna delivered another series of explosions towards her once more.

Akeno laid down on the ground, completely injured. The retiring system isn't taking her right in since her consciousness is still there.

"It's time to say goodbye, Priestess of Lightning." What seemed to be like her final move, Yubelluna made her own version of a giant magical symbol above the downed queen with an evil smile on her face.

Akeno could only curse herself for letting her guard down. She failed to fulfill her duty as Queen and a friend to protect all those around her. It looks like this is as far as she can go. Unknowingly, tears came about from her eyes as she felt her imminent defeat.

"I'm sorry, Natsu..."

It was then her vision have started to brighten due to the glow of the circle above her until she met a seemingly large explosion that soon shook the entire ground around her, resulting massive gales that went through the other side of the battlefield.

 ***BOOOOOOM***

Yubelluna stood in triumph as she marveled on her power right in front of her and managed to dispose the queen. Retracting her staff right beside her, she tried taking off her gaze from it and focused on the other side of the battlefield where the others are currently when another similar slurping sound was heard from behind, widening her eyes in disbelief.

As she glanced back, she saw the explosion began to negate as the blast whirled around in point until she finally recognized the figure in front of her.

It was the same pinkette who cancelled her powers earlier.

Natsu engulfed the whole explosion through his mouth as he gave a light pat on his stomach before looking back towards her with a wide grin.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting... You ready for another bout, Bomb Queen." Natsu taunted as he balled up his fist in determination.

On the other hand, Akeno was utterly surprised to find Natsu in front of her and saved her just in time.

"N-Natsu?"

"Hey Akeno... Looks like I made it just in time." He smiled towards her.

"B-But what about Issei and the others?"

"Don't worry... They said they're going to take care of things from there... I just can't stop thinking that you're in danger... Looks like I'm right." He guessed after looking that situation she was having.

..

..

"You bastard, you always get in my way of obliterating my opponents. I'll make you pay!" Yubelluna shouted in anger.

"Sorry but I'm not the type of guy who leaves one of his friends behind, especially when they're in trouble. I'll take you on alone, Bomb Queen." Natsu taunted.

"Natsu... don't. She used a Phenex Tear on herself... You're facing a fully recovered queen." Akeno tried to dissuade him but Natsu simply ignored her before speaking.

"Well, that same goes to me as well... I got a lot of power-up from the blast earlier which makes this battle even more fairer for the both of us..." He reassured.

"Are you sure about that, boy? You think you got the guts in facing an immortal Phenex which also happens to be the most powerful piece in Riser-sama's peerage?"

"Heh, Phenex, my ass... But let me remind you something too, Bomb Queen." Shadowing his expression for a moment, Natsu flared up in crimson flames as his body slowly coated in flames before a surge of power was felt by both queens as Yubelluna narrowed her eyes after seeing through the angered expression of the pinkette towards her.

"You made a big mistake of hurting my friend!"

* * *

 **A/N: And stop... I think that's about stop right here. As you can see, there are some scenes picked up from the canon but I think that's just about that since the rest of the battle would be my deviation. Looking at the pace of the battle I think I might need to extend this into a four chapter battle in Riser's arc before going to the aftermath, then head to the Holy Excalibur arc which will introduce two characters as well and you know who those two are. Also there's also one other girl who might appear on that time, it will take time for me to get there but it's just a reminder to give you guys an insight on the future chapters.**

 **Aside from that, Natsu will be making a revealing of his true self in the next chapter, specifically to Tiamat who will recognize him later on.**

 **That's all for now... Thanks again for supporting this story. Look forward to the next update.**

 **\- wiErD SpeCtrumz blacking out... ... ...**


	14. Dragon Unleashed

**A/N: Sup guys. wiErD here and here's the last chapter of the story...**

 **Nah, just joking... It's the last chapter for the battle between Riser and Rias so a lot of twist is going to be around here in this chapter. Then I'll add two or more chapters for the aftermath which would include the wedding crashing or not depending on what happens here in the fight and then, we're already bound to the Hold Sword Arc.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own FT and HSDXD or any of their elements. They're owned by their respective authors. Support the official releases.**

* * *

 **\- Dragon Unleashed -**

Akeno could only watch as the battle between Natsu and Yubelluna unfold before her. She was already out of her magic power and it would take her time to recover and help him in this fight but knowing how capable Yubelluna is dealing with her opponents, Natsu might be in trouble despite his growing confidence. In her current condition, she cannot do anything to help him in this battle.

She could only hope for his safety and victory in this fight.

Yubelluna chuckled at the pinkette's declaration as she found his words quite amusing since there was no human ever dared to fight against a devil, to a Phenex no less.

"Defeat me, you say? I like you, boy. Well, let's try and shut that mouth of yours now, shall we?" She taunted.

"I wonder if you still have the time to do that after I'm done beating you." Natsu raised his fists before coating them in flames.

"I'll make you regret those words, boy."

"Bring it Bomb Queen! I'm fired up!"

There was a moment of silence between them as the two stared at each other for a moment until both of them simultaneously dashed right to each other with Yubelluna going in for a bomb spell towards the pinkette.

Magical circles appeared beside Natsu from all sides as Yubelluna shouted her victory.

"It's over!"

The circles glowed bright and exploded around Natsu, engulfing him into a large explosion that kicked up a huge cloud of dust. Akeno was shocked to see the pinkette get blown by a series of bomb spells but was relieved after seeing the explosion negated itself and was simply absorbed by him like it was nothing.

Yubelluna could only grit her teeth in frustration, seeing the boy had the power to cancel out her attacks with ease. She was beginning to think the reason why he was very crucial in this fight against them. What's more is that he's also immune to it, however, this does not pose a hindrance to her.

No matter what power he wields against her, she will win this fight for her master.

"What's wrong? Don't tell me you're scared just because a human can match against you?" Natsu taunted. The purple-haired queen locked her gaze at him with pure anger.

"Know your place, human!" She lifted her staff above her before a large magical circle appeared above him. His eyes widen in surprise at the enormous spell launched against him as Yubelluna smirked before sending another huge explosion towards the irritating human before her.

She was expecting for the scale of explosion to be enough for him to absorb since he can do only small quantities of explosions to power up. Absorbing a giant blast like that would force him to overuse his magical power which would pose as a problem for his body if he decided to take it all in.

Another slurping sound resounded within the explosion itself as the Bomb Queen widened her eyes in shock after seeing the pinkette beginning to absorb the whole energy itself.

"Impossible! Your body shouldn't be able to take all that power inside!" She shouted in disbelief.

After gulping down every bit of its power inside of him, Natsu wiped his mouth for a moment before looking towards Yubelluna with a proud smirk in his face.

"Don't take me that lightly, Bomb Queen. I trained myself hard for this day- I didn't waste any time just to get far from here. I trained to defeat all of you."

"Tsk, I guess there's no other choice." She descended down to the ground before finding themselves facing towards each other.

"If my magic can't destroy you, I'll use my own physical abilities to shut that mouth of yours." She spat.

"I'm looking forward to it."

Soon afterwards, Natsu made his first move as he set his hands ablaze before leaping to the air and begun to spin his arms in a circular fashion.

 **"Fire Dragon's Spinning Tail Attack!"** Natsu brought a whirl of hellfire towards the Bomb Queen who dodged it with ease before dashing straight towards him with her staff.

Natsu alerted himself as he leaned down from the swipe coming from his opponent before coating his feet in flames, propelling him to kick her out of the way.

 **"Fire Dragon's Claw!"** The kick went into Yubelluna's abdomen as Natsu sent her flying up in the air before jumping to follow her there.

Akeno could only watch in awe as she saw Natsu able to hold out on his own against a queen which was supposed to be the most powerful piece in the system. Seeing Yubelluna struggling to put down the relentless pinkette, it made her wonder just how much Natsu changed in past few days in their training.

This level of power was completely new to her since he never showed it during their training together.

 _Just how much powerful have you become, Natsu?_ She thought in wonder as she continued their watch their aerial battle from above.

On the other hand, the two contenders continued their onslaught against each other as Yubelluna sent multiple spells at the pinkette to knock him off back to the ground. Summoning an array of bomb spells surrounding his vicinity.

"Die, boy!" She shouted in anger as the spells exploded consecutively before amassing into another massive explosion that could be seen throughout the battlefield.

Riser took his eyes off from Rias for a moment before turning towards the explosion in the far distance from him.

"I see that Yubelluna is still not finished with her job in eliminating your queen and I know for a fact that your human friend is preventing her from doing it." He voiced out.

Rias smirked at his statement.

"Natsu isn't just some mere human. He's a complete different person that even I wouldn't want to mess with. He fights for his friends and never hesitates to improve himself along with the others apart from people like you!" Rias spat.

"Heh. While it's true that I underestimated him and your pawn, I must say, you did a pretty fine job in getting them into shape otherwise, I would be bored in this fight." He laughed which catches her attention.

"What do you mean by that?"

Instead of answering her, Riser changed the topic before turning his attention towards her once again.

"Why don't we just continue our little scuffle? As much as I like to win this fight as early as possible, I want a little entertainment from your peerage, Rias." He replied with lustful eyes which only made the redhead to grit her teeth in anger.

"Don't you underestimate me, Riser!" Launching a spell towards him, both Kings engaged each other once more.

* * *

Issei and the others also began working on their battle plan to defeat their remaining enemies and assist their friends as soon as possible. With the latter gaining an unknown power-up from his Boosted Gear, he narrowed his eyes before looking back at Kiba who was in the middle of his battle against Karlamine.

"Kiba! I want you to release your Sacred Gear right now!" He shouted.

"Release it?"

"Just do it!" Realizing his insistence, Kiba didn't waste time questioning his statement before thrusting his sword down to the ground.

 **"Sword Birth!"** Multiple types of swords and blades jut from the ground, heading towards Issei before he used his Boosted Gear that absorbed the power in the process before glowing in bright blue after taking the knight's power.

 **[Transfer!]**

The gauntlet sounded its use before a larger scale of spiking swords erupted from the ground around them, surrounding the whole field where he and his opponents were situated.

Ravel and her allies were surprised as they tried flying away from the scene as the swords threaten to impale them. Some of them barely escaped from the spell but others were unfortunate as they got stabbed multiple times before disappearing from the battlefield, signifying their retirement from the Rating Game.

 _"Riser-sama's bishop and two pawns were retired from the battlefield."_ The announcer announced the status of the other peerage as three of them remained.

Ravel along with the other surviving two knights soared through the skies before floating in a safe distance away from the trio as they noticed their situation turning sour.

"His power has suddenly changed? I never thought that the Red Dragon Emperor have something like that!" Ravel stammered.

"This is the new power I acquired. Boosted Gear: Gift!" Issei explained.

"Boosted Gear: Gift?" Siris and Karlamine asked in disbelief.

Outside of the battlefield, Sona and Tsubaki observed the ongoing fight with their comments as they noted all of the development of everyone's power.

"As the name states, it has the power to take in the power of other Sacred Gears, amplifying it with its own power from the dragon inside it, making it a truly powerful weapon against his foes." Sona explained.

"How that does work on other Sacred Gears?" Happy asked as he too was part of the spectators of the fight alongside with them.

"Looking at its usage on the Yuuto Kiba's Sacred Gear, the Boosted Gear took its power and utilized it like it was the same as his though only for a moment since the gauntlet doesn't take the power into its own. Let's just say, the gear simply borrowed its power to take advantage of the fight."

The blue Exceed nodded at her understanding of the power as he and the others turned their attention back to the battle. The fight was starting to turn in the favour of Rias' peerage since Riser's complete peerage has finally been reduced into a handful of several pieces.

At the same time, Ravel and the two knights found themselves at a disadvantage as they still have three more of their opponent fighting against them. What's more frustrating is that they haven't retired one of them and they already lost much of their allies against them.

"At this rate, we're also going to lose against them. Yubelluna is still not yet done with her fight against their queen." Siris spoke.

"We also exhausted our powers against them. It will not be long until they cornered Riser-sama." Karlamine added.

"We are not going to lose against these people. We still have Phenex and our Tears beside us. I'll be giving you some Tears to fight once more. We may be able to stand against them!" Ravel shouted.

"Right! This will our last stand! We will fight with honor for Riser-sama's victory!" Karlamine and Siris spoke in unison.

On the other hand, Issei, Kiba and Koneko finally faced the remaining trio in front of them. All three of them were lined together as they both moved into their battle stance while Ravel gave her remaining Phenex Tears to the other two as they both powered up and recovered their strength instantly.

"This will be the final fight! We will take down Riser together!" Issei declared.

"Not while we're still standing! We're not letting you lay a finger on our master!" Siris retorted.

"Then, let's decide this one last battle against each other as both proud servants of our respective households!" Kiba readied his sword.

"Well said, servants of Rias Gremory!" Karlamine readied her own sword as well.

"I'll take on the midget." Koneko spoke with a blank expression as her gazed locked towards Ravel who backed away from her stony look.

"I'm a bishop! I don't need any fighting!"

"Don't care." The white-haired junior replied with an emotionless expression.

"H-Hey, you're not serious, are you?" Ravel asked doubtfully but she knew that Koneko will try and pummel her down as well.

With both sides uttering their final declarations towards each other, they all rushed against each other except Ravel for the final battle against them.

* * *

Natsu and Yubelluna continued their rampage throughout the battlefield as their attacks levelled buildings due to their destructive magic. Apparently, Natsu is gaining the upper-hand as he kicked the Bomb Queen down to one of the replicated school facilities, causing it to collapse as she crashed into it.

The pinkette landed a safe distance away from the cloud of debris before him as he waited for it settle down.

Moments later, Yubelluna staggered away from the ruins with scratches and wounds all over her body. Her clothes were not spared from the crash, seeing that some her body parts were revealed, especially on her chest.

Natsu never fazed one bit at the exposed breasts before him and continued to show his cautious expression throughout the fight.

Yubelluna looked at him with pure anger.

"I-I will not be defeated here- I'm the queen that serves Riser-sama! M-My victory will b-be assured!" She declared.

"You fight well. Honestly, it was quite hard to fight against a powerful queen who also embodied the power of the immortal Phenex." He mused.

"I don't need your appreciation nor your pity!" She retorted.

"I never pitied you in the first place. I was complimenting on your fight against me. Fighting against you is fun!" He grinned.

"Heh, you sure got the guts to let down your guard against an opponent." She mocked.

"What's wrong with that? I can't fight an enemy who cannot fight anymore. It's not my style, you know." He replied.

"H-Hmph. This is the first time a human had talked to me like this. No wonder why Rias-sama and her servants were so fond of you- You're too soft-hearted." She realized.

"Maybe…" Natsu trailed off in thought.

"But that kind of attitude can be easily deceived and it will bring you harm in the future." She warned.

"Nah, I don't think so. What you said about it can be quite the opposite. Being soft-hearted and helping others is not a bad idea. It drives you to train harder to protect those you care about. Same as what you always say about fighting for your master. Isn't that a good thing?" He spoke with a lighthearted expression on his face.

"After seeing you fight for your master, I realized that you're not exactly a bad person and I understand how it feels to protect someone with your own might. I think that we're just the same."

"Your way of speaking makes me think that you wanted to become friends with me." She added.

"Why not? Isn't it forbidden for rivals to become friends?"

"Heh, you're full of surprises, boy. But you're forgetting that I'm still your enemy and I won't stop until I get rid of you and your friends for my master's wish!" A surge of power was felt around the Bomb Queen as Natsu noticed the sudden change of her magic power.

She ascended into the air before she lifted her staff as a massive ball light circled with multiple magical circles formed above her.

Akeno widened her eyes in surprise at the sudden change of Yubelluna's power.

"Natsu, be careful! It seems like she's trying to obliterate the whole field around her! She's ending this fight right now!" She warned.

"I know that..." He hesitated for a moment before looking at the Bomb Queen above him. "It seems like I have to end this too."

Slowly sinking his body with his stance, Natsu began to call out his own killer move as flames danced around his body. Rubble floated around him as the intensity of the heat rose higher that even Akeno could feel it despite being far from him.

Yubelluna smirked as she finally mustered her powerful spell. Looking towards the pinkette down below, she swiped her staff downwards as the ball followed through her direction and headed straight to him.

"DIE!"

At the same time, Natsu also powered his powerful spell as he spun his arms clockwise before the flames followed through his gestures.

 **"Dragon Slayer's Secret Art, Crimson Lotus: Exploding Flame Blade!"** Flames swirled in front of him, forming a massive torrent of exploding flames as it collided with the ball that soon created massive gales that blew everything back.

Trees and other nearing buildings couldn't withstand at the powerful winds as they were all blown away. Even Akeno had to grab on her own in order not to get blown away.

Yubelluna widen in shock as her spell is starting to wane. The flames inching closer to her as she struggled to push back her opponent's spell.

In a few seconds, the ball dissipated, unable to contain the powerful flames before her until she was engulfed completely by the flames. Her strength left her as she was left in pain and felt the heat through her skin.

It was warm yet at the same time scorching and deadly as she couldn't withstand its intensity. The flames eventually simmered down as Yubelluna, now sustaining burns and wounds all over her body as she began to fall from the sky.

Natsu didn't waste any second and decided to sprint fast to catch her before she could plunge straight to the ground.

Fortunately, he was able to catch her just in time before her head hit the hard ground and protected her.

The fight was finally over between them.

Yubelluna was already suffering from her injuries and she couldn't even lift her head with her remaining strength. She was expecting to fall down to the ground hard but she felt nothing but a pair of warm hands wrapped on her back as Natsu slowly carried into a nearby tree and nestled her head onto its trunk.

Although she was too wounded to move, her eyes moved slowly towards the figure before him.

"W-Why? Why would you save me?" She cringed but her attention is focused on his answer to her question.

"I just couldn't leave you like that. Whether you're an enemy or not, I know that you needed help." He sighed.

Yubelluna stared at the human before her in wonder. Never in her life, would someone really care for her safety despite being enemies. She always looked ahead of her goal without taking heed of the people around her. She never bothered to care any of them but this man never hesitated to reach out when she was wounded.

Her body had started to glow as she lost her will to fight however, as she vanished through the battlefield, she gave the pinkette a satisfied smile before parting a few final words to the pink-haired boy.

"Riser-sama is a High-Class devil. Defeating him will not be as easy as this."

"I know that but that doesn't stop me from continuing my fight against him. We will bring him down together!" He declared.

"Hmph- Then may the fortunes of this battle be forever on your favour, Natsu Dragneel."

Yubelluna simply vanished through the air as the light ascended through the skies, ending her participation in the Rating Game.

 _"Riser-sama's queen has been retired from the battlefield."_

Natsu lightly smiled underneath his breath as he gazed through the skies before turning his attention back to Akeno who is still recovering her strength at the moment. He went back and helped the injured queen up as he slung her shoulders over to his and started their way towards Riser's base.

"You won." She congratulated with a smile on her face.

"See? I told you I can handle it." He grinned back.

"Yes- I commend you for your outstanding performance against an opponent that is the same level as me but I don't like the way of your smooth talking with her." She frowned in irritation. Natsu looked back at her with a surprised look.

"You heard that?"

"Every word of it. Honestly, you shouldn't feel so soft even if you were in a middle of a battle. It's fortunate that Yubelluna isn't as ruthless as I thought she would be."

"But she did not take advantage of me so I think that's fine-" He stopped as he felt a painful pinch to his sides as Akeno puffed in annoyance at his reply.

"It hurts- Ouch!" He yelped in pain as the black-haired woman pinched him harder.

Seriously, he just really don't understand it. As much as she wanted to remind him of his actions every time, it's impossible to let it sink in his thoughts. Befriending an enemy in the middle of the fight is plain stupid.

Who knows what might happen if the enemy took advantage of the situation?

What's more is that she didn't like the way Yubelluna looks at him in a different light. It was a miracle that she finally retired from the battlefield.

The two continued their way towards the other side of the battlefield as Natsu carried Akeno right beside him until they heard another announcement.

 _"Riser-sama's two knights have been retired from the battlefield."_

Both fighters sported a smile towards each other before looking over to the distance.

"It seems like Issei and the others did it!"

"We should regroup with them and assist Buchou." Akeno suggested which only made the pinkette to nod in response before starting their journey towards the scene.

* * *

Ravel landed down on her back as Siris and Karlamine were eliminated by her opponents, leaving her the only piece in his brother's peerage. Her eyes stared fearfully at the trio who were just about a few meters in front of her, awaiting their final judgement on her.

"This fight is over. Do you have anything to say?" Kiba pointed a sword towards her as a means of threat against her.

"Can't you see I'm unarmed? As expected of Rias' peerage, you're all brutes who don't show mercy to their opponents!" She retorted.

"Says the one who started this fight in the first place." Issei joined in the conversation.

"What are you going to do with me? Kidnap me to force my brother to stand down?"

"Fine by me." Koneko added with a blank expression.

"Wait- This girl is related to that punk?" Issei asked in curiosity.

"In any case, we should deal with her as well. She's the only thing that is left in their peerage and after that, only Riser remains." Kiba suggested.

"Wait a moment. Let's leave her aside and focus on Riser. Our main goal is taking down their King. In other words, once we put down Riser, this Game is over." Issei replied with a different idea.

"True, but who knows if she might give his brother one of those tears. We can't allow to take any chances." Kiba dissuaded.

At the same time, Natsu and Akeno finally arrived at the scene with the latter having to recover some of her magical power to fight once more.

"Hey guys!"

"Natsu!" The trio turned to greet the newcomers. Ravel could only gaze at the pinkette with a surprised expression.

 _That boy defeated Yubelluna? Just how powerful is he?_

Noticing the girl's attention towards him, Natsu looked at her with the same look.

"Yo!"

Despite the friendly greeting, Ravel returned with a mocking remark towards him.

"It seems everyone is gathered together." Akeno spoke at the appearance of all the members of the Occult Research Club.

"Yeah- We had our tough battles but we managed to overcome them with the help of others." Issei replied with a proud smile.

"Yes..." Koneko added with her usual blank expression.

An explosion interrupted their flow of conversation as all heads turned towards the top of the building and saw Rias currently battling against Riser although, it seems like she was having a hard time dealing with him.

"We should go and reunite with Buchou. She needed help." Akeno suggested.

"What about her?" Kiba turned over to Ravel with suspicion.

"Leave her! She's in no condition to fight. We're going to take down their King right now!" Natsu urged which finally got the others to nod as they all sprinted off to the building, leaving the bishop to stare in surprise at their fleeting figures before confronting her brother.

On the other hand, Riser was simply toying with Rias as he continued to launch fire spells at her while also recovering from her deadly attacks. As one of the few born as pure-blooded devils and also as a Phenex, he had the ability to completely regenerate from almost any of the attacks thrown at him.

His regeneration abilities are beyond normal which slightly gives him the invincibility over his opponents.

"Hmm. It seems like most of my pieces were already taken out. I have to say, I'm amazed at the performance of your peerage, Rias. But you're forgetting one fact that I'm the King that reigns far higher than any of them. It will take more than just a couple of servants to put me down." He boasted.

"Let's see about that!" Rias launched another spell at him in which he easily took and regenerated his injuries in an instant.

"You can't defeat me, Rias. Resign already!"

"Who told you?!"

Both kings launched their spells again at each other as another huge explosion erupted between them, creating a smokescreen. Moments later, the dust settled down and the redhead was showing signs of exhaustion despite being constantly healed by Asia.

"Buchou-san!" Asia called out in worry.

"I'm fine, Asia. I just need a little bit more power to hold him back until others arrive." She reassured.

"N-Natsu-san and Issei-san will come, right?"

"Yeah- They will."

Slowly standing up straight, Rias faced the nonchalant Phenex with a serious look as she found him to be quite easy-going despite being outnumbered.

"You seemed pretty confident in this battle. You're the only one who's left standing in your peerage. Resign already, Riser!" Rias taunted.

"Fufu. Don't mistake me for a coward, Rias. I expected that you would put up a fight against me and my complete pieces so it doesn't matter if some of them remain or not. I looked forward to taking all of your peerage alone." He smirked evilly which made the crimson-haired girl to grit her teeth in frustration.

"Speaking of your peerage-"

Suddenly, two figures emerged from ceiling underneath them as Kiba and Koneko appeared behind Riser with their weapons at the ready against him.

"We're here, Buchou!"

"Kiba?!"

"Haaaaaa!" Kiba shouted as he tried to cut the Phenex down with his sword but was caught by surprise, seeing that Riser easily stopped his weapon with his own bare hand.

"Is that all?"

Koneko balled up her fists and went for a swift hook to Riser's stomach, sending him flying to the sky.

An array of lightning caught Rias' attention as she gazed to the skies and saw Akeno preparing her spell against him.

"Take this!" A large magical circle appeared above Riser before a large lightning bolt struck him down back to the ground, causing an enormous cloud of debris. Everyone shielded their eyes from the dust and not before long they heard Akeno shouting towards them.

"Natsu! Issei!"

The names of the two boys were called out to the battlefield as Riser tried to recompose himself until he saw two boys on opposite sides with their spells ready.

Natsu inhaled air through his lungs as flames began to spiral around with it while Issei accumulated enough boosts from his gauntlet which lets him create a miniature red beam aimed at the blonde man.

 **"Fire Dragon's Roar!"**

 **"Dragon Shot!"**

Both surges of power met Riser on both sides, engulfing him in a sea of energy before resulting a fiery explosion that blew everything back.

The two landed next to each other to regain their position. The rest of the others also formed up around the two until Rias and Asia descended back to the ground with relieved smiles on their faces.

"Sorry, we're late." Natsu apologized.

"Our fight with his peerage took longer than we thought. They did put up a good fight." Kiba reassured.

"Hard…" Koneko replied with her usual blank expression.

"Everyone…" Rias trailed in her words after seeing her friends alive and okay.

"Natsu-san! Issei-san!" Asia cried out in joy after seeing two of her stepbrothers.

"Yo! Asia!"

They exchanged their greetings at each other until they felt a chuckle coming from the smokescreen. Their eyes shifted back towards it with their expressions filled with caution and seriousness. It was then Riser emerged from the dust with slightly tattered clothes.

Their eyes widen in shock after seeing his body didn't sustain any damages from their attack combinations.

"Impossible! How is he still okay after that attack?" Issei stammered in disbelief.

"N-Not even one scratch." Asia stuttered.

"Do you all honestly think that an attack like that would defeat me? Although I have to give praise to your efforts on that one. Not everyone could perform a simultaneous offensive attack with great teamwork." Riser remarked before flames regenerated some of his fatal wounds and fixed his clothes in just an instant.

The atmosphere around them changed immediately as both sides were left into a silent stare-down between each other.

There was a moment of silence between them until Natsu and the others made their first move and dashed towards the devil before releasing a series of different spells towards each other.

"Let's go!"

Natsu lit up his feet in flames, propelling him forward as he met Riser face to face before he tried increasing the power of his flames to power his kicks.

 **"Fire Dragon's Claw!"** Riser simply blocked the flaming kick with his one arm before smirking.

"Is that all?" He taunted.

"Don't underestimate me!" Gritting his teeth in anger, Natsu leaped away before coating himself in flames and launched himself yet again towards him.

Riser chuckled at the reckless attacks before summoning a magic circle underneath him.

"It was clearly foolish of you to challenge against a high-class devil, human! You should learn your place!" The circle beneath him began to glow in bright red.

"I won't let you!" Another voice resounded from the behind them as Kiba struck his sword to the ground before applying his magic.

 **"Sword Birth!"** Spikes of blades jutted themselves upwards, forcing Riser to use his flame wings thus, cancelling his spell but was left unguarded as Natsu slammed his head in his abdomen, sending him higher before Akeno appeared right before him.

"Lightning Orb Formation!" Five lightning orbs surrounded Riser and started to spin fast before closing their distance to each other to trap the Phenex inside.

"Hmph- Child's play…" Riser taunted before sprouting his wings and began to enlarge them enough to negate the lightning around him which surprised Akeno in the process.

"We're not done yet!" Rias flew above Riser from behind and amassed a large destructive spell on her hands before swiping them down to him without hesitation.

The spell collided with him and sent him plunging down to the ground, creating another cloud of dust in the vicinity.

"Issei! Now!" Rias shouted as the brunet prepared his charge once more and pointed it at the smokescreen.

"Take this, you bastard! Dragon Shot!" Locking his left fist briefly, Issei punched the red orb before him as a large red beam shot its way towards Riser, engulfing his body before resulting another huge explosion from the distance.

Issei panted in exhaustion as he felt the huge strain on his body after using much of his Boosted Gear throughout the battle. Even though, Rias had released some of the dragon's power inside him, his body still can't handle all the drained energy he wasted in every one of those shots.

"You okay?" Natsu asked in worry as he got his arm just in time to prevent him from falling to the ground.

"Y-Yeah. Just a little shaken up." He reassured.

"Don't overdo it."

Issei could only put up a light smile towards his brother before all of them turned their attention back at the dust in front of them, waiting for it to subside to reveal the aftermath of their battle.

Moments later, their eyes fell into shock and disbelief as they saw Riser emerging once again with no damage at all.

"It can't be! After all those attacks we threw at him and he still didn't take any damage?!" Akeno was completely distraught at the sight before her.

Everyone else simply gritted their teeth in frustration, seeing that their attacks have no effect on him no matter how many times they hit him.

"Is this all your peerage can do, Rias? I must say, I'm disappointed in you. I expected a better fight with them but it seems like they're not as powerful to fight against a high-class devil." He sighed.

"You're so full of yourself! You're underestimating us!" Rias retorted.

"Well I guess that's all you can do. Now, let me show you just how fearsome a high-class devil would be."

With flames glowing as large as the field around them, Riser simply released a huge surge of heat around his vicinity, engulfing everything around him including all of his enemies.

Everyone could only shield their eyes from the blinding light until everything was simply drowned in bright light.

After a couple of seconds, the light simmered down, revealing a scorched field together with burning buildings and trees around it. Everything was just burned to the earth and the once beautiful academy was turned into a smoking cinder.

Riser landed a safe distance as he looked over to a few bodies in front of him who sustained multiple burns and injuries from his powerful attack. It seems like they managed to survive altogether but lost all the strength after receiving his attack.

He was surprised to see that all of them haven't retired yet from the system. It seems like they have enough spare power to keep up and fight.

Two figures caught his attention from the other end of the battlefield as he narrowed his eyes in suspicion. Natsu shielded himself to protect Asia in the nick of time, seeing that she didn't sustain any injury apart from them although she passed out as a result.

"You survived my blast? It seems like I underestimated you too much." Riser mused.

The pinkette spoke as he slowly let go of Asia. He looked over to the lying bodies with a distraught look on his face as he saw Issei and his friends completely wounded and barely conscious in the process.

On the other hand, Rias struggled to get up on her knees despite her injuries and glared at Riser with an angered expression.

"H-How could you- Riser!"

"You should know the risk of challenging me, my Rias. In terms of my experience of Rating Games, you should know that it takes a lot of skill and talent to defeat against a King. After all, the King is the essential piece in the game." He paused.

"I'll give you one last chance, Rias. Resign and accept our engagement. If you still intend to fight, I'll bring more pain to your precious little servants." He threatened.

"N-Never!"

Riser sighed.

"You really want to take this the hard way? Then let's see if this changes your mind." Riser stomped his foot from one of Koneko's legs, causing her to scream in pain.

"Kaaaaah-"

"Stop it, Riser!" Rias shouted. Her tone of voice changed immediately along with her strong façade after seeing Koneko in pain.

Suddenly, Riser felt a small rock thrown at him, causing him to look around and saw Issei barely standing on his feet. His breaths are heavy and the strain on his body reached its limit due to his overuse of the Boosted Gear, leaving him completely vulnerable.

A smirk escaped from the blonde-haired man as he looked back to Rias with an evil look.

"It seems like your precious little servant still intends to fight. Well, I guess I should also finish him as well."

Walking towards him, Rias began to notice his attention being focused on Issei himself, causing her to worry.

"W-What are you doing, Riser?"

Instead of answering, Riser ignored her.

"Stop it! You're my opponent, Riser!" Her voice was getting louder.

In just a few seconds, Riser stood face to face to Issei who still had his hardened expression filled with determination despite being powerless.

"I-I will protect, everyone! N-No matter what!" He managed to shout his words which only made Riser to chuckle.

"Well, this is the end for you." Summoning a large flame on his hand, Riser locked his eyes onto the brunet with the intent to kill.

"Disappear!-"

"SHUT UP!"

A flashing uppercut surprised Riser as he was immediately sent towards a burning debris as Natsu came in and punched him away before he could even kill the brunet in the process. Rias and Issei were completely surprised at his appearance but something was wrong.

Scales are seen around the pinkette's arms and face, clearly resembling that of a dragon. Canines were more visible in his teeth and flames swirled violently around him like a blazing inferno.

"N-Natsu?" Issei tried to speak his brother's name but a menacing growl only escaped from the pinkette's lips as he gazed over to the blonde haired devil in front of him.

"W-What the hell? I'll make you pay, bastard!" Riser immediately charged at the pinkette with anger but he was taken aback as he got kicked into the gut almost instantly as Natsu lunged at him in lightning speeds that sent him back, surprising the others as well who saw him.

"I WON'T FORGIVE YOU!" Natsu roared through the skies as flames jut down from the ground below him, creating massive tremors as the field that contained the replicated school ground began to destabilize.

Skies began to crack from the immense power Natsu was giving and everyone could only hold on their own feet from getting blown away.

Outside the game, Sona and Tsubaki took caution of the unfolding situation. Panic and uncertainty were clearly present on the two and Happy could only stare in worry at the screen before him.

"Natsu…"

Grayfia alongside with Sirzechs also widened their eyes in disbelief at the sudden turn of events.

"That boy's power is growing stronger. The field cannot take all the energy released from him. What do you suggest we do, Sirzechs-sama?" The silver-haired maid looked at the red-haired Satan who seemed to have regained his composure after being taken by surprise.

He was eerily silent and seemed to pay no heed of the situation.

"Sirzechs-sama?"

On the other hand, Tiamat began to recognize the power being released from the pinkette itself.

 _'Dragon Force?'_

Her eyes widened in disbelief but not long before she recognized the person right in front of her.

"Natsu?"

* * *

Riser narrowed his eyes in suspicion as he observed the pinkette right in front of him. His eyes were turned into red glowing orbs, his arms and feet are both covered in dragon scales and for some reason, he could see an apparition of a giant red beast formed in flames. It loomed behind the pinkette with the same glare as his.

A menacing roar resounded from the background as the flames grew more intense.

"So, you've finally used your trump card now, eh? But no matter how strong you can become, you can never destroy a Phenex!" Riser taunted.

Natsu slowly sank his body before moving into his battle stance while Riser did the same. Both opponents readied themselves but the pinkette simply charged at him without warning, disappearing into a crimson blur and destroyed the ground from where he was previously at due to his insane speed that surprised the Phenex.

Moments later, Riser felt a wave of pain from his back as Natsu kicked him from behind and sent him away before dashing after him and delivered a knee attack on his face that sent him high into the sky.

"W-What the- How did you get so fast?" Riser stuttered in disbelief as his eyes can't follow through his speed.

Natsu reappeared again from above and clasped his hands together before slamming him straight to the ground, bringing in a huge cloud of debris as a result.

"I WON'T FORGIVE YOU!" Not done with his rampage, Natsu plunged straight towards Riser into a flaming meteor that soon created another shockwave around them.

Other spectators were left watching in awe and worry as the pinkette continued his relentless assault on Riser without stopping. His friends looked at his transformation, seeing that it happened to him for the first time.

Akeno noticed the scales formed around the pinkette's arms and could only wonder about the unknown power that was present inside him.

The atmosphere surrounding him is somehow strong that it sent chills down to her spine as if she found herself face to face to a fearsome creature.

"Natsu…"

With her current injuries, the black-haired girl could only utter his name as the battle began to turn for the worse.

Emerging from one of the craters where he crashed, Riser staggered away as his regeneration abilities are being put to work. The attacks coming from the pinkette were not exactly weak. They were so powerful that even a seasoned high-class devil wouldn't be able to take it all in. Thanks to his regeneration, he still can fight despite the overwhelming odds.

Looking back at the enraged pinkette, Riser smirked.

"You're completely different from what I took you to be. It seems like you're not all that talk either as well."

Natsu ignored his reply and simply went on glaring at him with a very angered expression. The flames grew more intense in response to his emotions.

"Well I guess you're not here for any talking either. Why don't we settle this once and for all?" Riser summoned his flames once more and enlarged them before throwing it straight onto him.

A fiery explosion resulted after that but not long his eyes widened in disbelief as the explosion spiralled around the pinkette, eating the whole fire itself in the process.

"What the? Just what are you?!"

Without wasting any time, Natsu dashed towards him in blinding speeds, headbutting Riser to his stomach that sent him flying away once more as the latter tried to hold his ground but was taken aback after seeing the pinkette right in front of him and received a right hook to the face, sending him further away from the battlefield.

"Die, lowly human scum!" Riser tried to counter him with a kick but Natsu caught it easily with his bare hands before opening his mouth to charge his roar in point-blank range.

 **"Fire Dragon's Roar!"**

What resulted after that was a massive wave of fire ravaging half of the entire school ground, turning it into a scorching earth as Riser received intense burns despite being immune to fire.

He was completely shocked to see himself suffering from burns despite his nature able to withstand any form of fire. His eyes turned yet again to the unmoving pinkette in front of him. The flames around him weren't ordinary.

"I don't know where you'd get that power but I'll be the one who will destroy it with my very own hands!" Riser tried to charge at him but Natsu simply went in for an uppercut to his jaw, sending him flying once more.

"SHUT UP!"

Placing his arms into a circular fashion, Natsu began to form his final move on Riser as the flames began to surround him before compressing into a powerful whirl of fire around him.

 **"Dragon Slayer Secret Art-"**

"D-Dragonslayer?!" Uttering his chant, Riser stuttered in disbelief.

 **"-Crimson Lotus: Exploding Flame Blade!"**

Natsu spun his arms clockwise that soon followed a seemingly massive torrent of flames that engulfed Riser before feeling the continuous exploding flames around him that greatly damages him as he fell straight to the ground.

His body is beyond worse and his regeneration abilities could not work the same as before. Riser winced as the burns on his body continue to hurt him as he was left crawling on the ground, completely defeated by a human alone.

"I-Impossible. I-I-I would n-never lose to such a l-lowly being like you-" He wasn't finished as Natsu stomped his foot on his head, seemingly not done yet with his onslaught against him.

Others took notice of the pinkette's actions as they all alerted in the process including his friends.

"Natsu. That's enough." Rias tried to call him off from the fight but Natsu ignored her and simply focused his attention on the downed Phenex.

"Please don't hurt my brother!" Even Ravel who was watching the whole fight begged him to stop.

"YOU TRIED TO HURT MY FRIENDS!" Everyone could see that he's completely drowned in anger as he tried to summon a large fireball from his hand to end him once and for all.

But before he could even proceed on his rampage, the skies above them shattered open. Fragments of the replicated world fell like broken glass as a blue magical symbol surrounded Natsu and simply knocked him out in the process.

Before his body could fall to the ground, a mysterious woman appeared right into the scene, catching the dragonslayer in her arms as her majestic pale blue hair flowed gracefully from the battlefield.

"This battle has gone long enough. I'll hereby declare this game to be cancelled immediately." The woman spoke with a stern tone as she gazed over to the rest of the group.

Ravel rushed to her brother's side to help while Rias and the others regrouped together before looking back towards the woman once again.

It was then Issei's gauntlet orb began to emanate in green light as Ddraig recognized the woman right in front of them.

 **[Tiamat?]**

Hearing the voice of the Red Dragon Emperor, Tiamat turned towards the brunet with anticipation.

"It's been a long time, Ddraig."

* * *

 **A/N: And that's it for the chapter. Honestly, I might just not include about the engagement any time soon since the arc would now focus on Natsu's identity throughout the world as a dragonslayer.**

 **Tiamat will play a significant role in this arc so there will be a lot of new twists coming up next chapter. Oh, and the first meeting between Ddraig and Tiamat is here as well. And also Natsu's first usage of the Dragon Force. It's the plot bridge for Tiamat to enter the story since she is included in Natsu's forgotten past.**

 **There's a lot to talk about but I'll end this right here. If you still have any questions, feel free to ask me anytime.**

 **And as always, leave a comment and tell me what you think of the chapter so far. Have a nice day and thanks for reading.**

 **\- wiErD SpeCtrumz blacking out… … …**


	15. Dragonslayer

**A/N: Sup guys. wiErD here and I have another chapter for you guys.**

 **Hope ya like it!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own any of the two stories. All goes to their respective owners.**

* * *

 **\- Dragonslayer –**

As the replicated world continues to crumble, Issei and the rest of the Occult members club stare in confusion at the appearance of the woman in front of them. At the glimpse of her face, they felt a rather strong presence emanating from the very figure herself as if she was kind of a god or something.

Her aura seemed otherworldly and the others could only stay silent as they watched her carried the unconscious pinkette in her arms. His transformation is still active, seeing that the scales around his arms and legs haven't vanished yet.

Riser and Ravel were also confused at the interruption of their duel though the latter was relieved at the appearance of the mysterious woman before any kind of injury Natsu might've inflicted on her brother

The former however, was simply wincing from his pain as his regeneration started to kick in but the blows he took from the pinkette still hurts his body despite being immortal. The burns in his body weren't ordinary since he was supposed to be a Phenex which is the embodiment of fire itself. There was a hint of frustration present on his face after realizing just how bad he was beaten up by a lesser being, a mere human no less.

"Cancelled? What do you mean by that?" Rias tried to ask in confusion of the announcement.

"Both sides violated the rules and the prohibited rule of killing has reached into this stage. You can all settle your matters on your respective households and await their final decision on the match." Tiamat replied without much of a change in the tone of her voice as she slowly drew her attention back to the pinkette.

"Wait a moment. Who are you by the way?" Issei soon began to ask, prompting Tiamat to turn back her attention towards the Boosted Gear wielder.

"Does it matter? I suppose your dragon friend could tell you more about that."

"Ddraig?" His statement fell into confusion before a green glow appeared on the orb of his gauntlet, signifying Ddraig's presence.

 **[That woman is Tiamat. Known to as the Chaos Karma Dragon.]**

A collective of gasps and surprise went over to the group upon the revelation of the woman's identity.

"Dragon? Then wouldn't she be a-"

 **[A dragon, yes. It seems like you've been residing along with Tannin in the Underworld.]** Ddraig raised a question which only made Tiamat to sigh nonchalantly in her response to him.

"That old brute always worries about his brethren. I could care less about him being a devil or a dragon for that matter." She replied.

 **[I see…]**

On the other hand, Rias is slowly beginning to recognize some parts of Tiamat's known identity.

"Chaos Karma Dragon… Isn't she part of the Great Five Dragon Kings?" Rias asked doubtfully.

 **[She is and by far the strongest of them all. While there are two Heavenly Dragon Emperors, there are also dragons who bear different titles that rival the same as me and the White One in terms of power.]** Ddraig explained which only made the others to be further shocked at the revelation.

"T-Then what is the Chaos Karma Dragon doing along with the devils?" Akeno asked.

Hearing the question, Tiamat turned to speak once more.

"Questions aside, it's better for you all to return back as soon as possible. The replicated world cannot hold itself any longer and the Rating Game system has been already cancelled. If you don't hurry, you'll be swallowed in the void." She warned as the others began to use their devil wings to fly out of the area.

Ravel carried Riser away from the other side before they disappeared in sight, leaving the others alone.

It was then Tiamat began to mutter something towards Ddraig.

"Did you notice it, Ddraig?"

 **[Yeah… There's no mistaking it.]** A nod came from the blue-haired woman as she looked towards Natsu with a softened gaze.

"Igneel's alive."

* * *

 _ **A few hours later… In the medical room within the Underworld.**_

Natsu felt like he had been placed by a couple of massive metal rods above him after feeling the sore aches all over his body and the weight it was giving to him. His eyes flickered open and managed to find himself in some sort of a medical room.

His memories are still groggy on some point and can't remember much of what happened in the last few hours.

Eventually, his memories returned and his eyes widened in shock of what happened between him and Riser. For some reason, he felt a large surge of power welling up inside him during that time and unconsciously tapped into it before feeling an excruciating pain of his skin turning into something horrid or terrifying.

His visions were clouded by rage and all he could think about that time is beating the crap out of that stupid Phenex.

However, in his final memory, he only saw a glimpse of a blue-haired woman whose face cannot be rivalled even to the most beautiful of maidens in the human race. Her warm hands touched through his face affectionately as he saw her wrapping her arms around him as some sort of comfort.

He couldn't know if it was a dream or not but it feels like to be real enough for him. What's more strange it is that his mind calmed down after her comfort. His heart eased and the power receded from his body and left him powerless in an instant before falling into a deep sleep.

A wave of pain went through his head once more as his past memories have begun to kick up once more.

"Damn it… I just needed some sleep." He muttered silently on his breath, unaware of the people beside him who were waiting for him to wake up.

"NNNAAAATTTSSSSUUUU~" The pinkette was taken by surprise as his sensitive ears caught all three voices from all sides, screaming his name which only increased his growing troubles in recovering from his injuries.

It was not also long until he was buried in a pair of soft mounds by a certain black-haired girl who by the way displayed no shame in her part as she continued to suffocate the poor dragonslayer with her dirty mounds.

"A-A-Akeno! Your boobs are killing me!" As straightforward as he is, Akeno stupidly realized her actions and not long before she broke away the deadly hug and finally let the pinkette to breath normally again.

"Sorry, Natsu~ I was hoping that would help you in recovering your injuries~" There was a seductive tone on her voice as Asia and Happy stared at their senior with sweated looks though the former seemed to be blushing from embarrassment.

"That doesn't help me at all!" Natsu replied back with a comical expression before another pair of arms wrapped themselves around his neck as he found himself face to face with Asia who cried continuously upon his recovery.

"Natsu-san! Thank heavens, you're okay! I did all that I can do to heal you but you've been passed out for three days so I was so worried!" She shouted her worries which made the dragonslayer to soften his gaze for a moment and focused on her stepsister with a light smile.

"Yeah… Sorry for making you worry, Asia. I guess I really blew it up this time." He apologized. The other looked at him in worry until Natsu began to shift his attention towards his surroundings.

Issei and Rias were also present along with the rest of the Occult Research members. Some of them had small bandages all over their bodies as if they went into some really intense fight.

"Natsu!" Issei called out in relief as he saw his brother waking up.

"Hey, Issei…"

"I'm glad that you're okay, Natsu. I had to ask Sona and the others to help you because of the wounds you've sustained during the fight." Rias explained though it was not long until Natsu remembered about the Rating Game.

"That reminds me, what happened to the battle? We didn't lose, aren't we?" He asked curiously which only made the crimson haired devil to look at each other for a moment then going back to him once again.

"The game was cancelled."

"WHAT?!"

"Both sides were reported to have violated rules of the game. The matter is being discussed between Phenex and Gremory at the moment. Neither I nor Akeno can dig up any information of what's happening so we only focused on your recovery." She explained.

"I see… Then, what happened to that Riser guy?"

"He was sent back to his home. The engagement was also postponed due to some mysterious developments concerning you."

"Me?"

The others soon began to feel uncertain about the topic but continued on their conversation as Rias spoke.

"The matter about you being put under observation."

"Observation? What the hell does that mean?" Natsu asked confusingly.

"Here take a look of this." Rias handed out a small tablet to him in which he took before looking at the picture of what was displayed in it.

His eyes widened in surprise as he saw himself in the picture though with such different changes. He had scales forming around his body and arms. The flames around him were completely different from the ones he used before and his appearance were bearing that of somewhat terrifying monster.

"In the last stages of the battle, you unconsciously tapped into your power once more and overpowered Riser in just a matter of seconds. It was pretty unbelievable for all of us to see that kind of power," She paused.

"Unfortunately, your fight with Riser also caught up to other devils as well in the other households and took a really great interest in you. Thanks to Tiamat, you were spared from the discussion about claiming you as a servant in their peerage though I don't think it would last that long." She frowned.

On the other hand, Natsu caught up with a name she mentioned from her explanation.

"Tiamat?"

At the same time, the said person made her appearance at the door without being noticed before speaking.

"That's right."

A couple of heads turned around and widened their eyes in surprise at her sudden appearance, especially Natsu who immediately recognized her as the same woman he dreamed earlier.

"Tiamat?!" The blue-haired woman shook her head before slowly making her way towards the group with a depressed sigh.

"Honestly, you devils sure like to cause troubles. I had to go all the trouble to conceal much of the information about the fight to the other factions as well but I guess that's too late now." She shrugged.

"What do you mean by that?" Akeno asked in confusion.

"Well some of the devils don't like the fact that I'm concealing about the fight. Surely, the information would spread to the outside and the angels and fallen angels will definitely know this in the near future."

"Wait! So there's going to be more that would go after Natsu?" It was then Issei turned to ask as Tiamat looked at him in anticipation.

"That's right. Because of his origin as the last of the original dragonslayers, anyone would be bound to recruit him in their ranks." She explained though her revelation of Natsu's true identity shocked the whole group, including the pinkette as well.

"Eh?"

"D-Dragonslayer? What the hell is that?"

Of course, most of them never really understood about the information until a green glow appeared on Issei left arm as Ddraig soon joined in the conversation.

 **[They're an ancient being originating from both human and dragon in a long forgotten history. They are also considered to be the strongest since they have the power to slay dragons who are superior beings in most of the races. However, the myth of the existence of the dragonslayers have receded and their nature was never studied except only for a few.]** He explained.

"Natsu is that kind of person?!" Issei asked doubtfully.

"The power that he displayed against the Phenex was called the Dragon Force. It's the strongest and final form that a dragonslayer can attain. However, it would take long years for one to use it. Natsu used his Dragon Force in its incomplete state and it's a relief that it stayed that way otherwise, his opponent would've been obliterated." Tiamat explained.

"Is that the reason why you also stopped the match?" Rias asked.

"I had to. If word comes out about him being a dragonslayer, it would undoubtedly stir a lot of attention, not only from the three factions but also to other uninvolved factions." She revealed.

 **[Nowadays, humans have been trying to recreate the power of the dragonslayers but unfortunately, their existence were too morbid and vague. Not to mention the nature of their powers were mysterious so they made replicated copies of named swords imbued with their own magic only at the extent of their current understanding of it. The boy is a bonafide living dragonslayer. A true one that is.]**

It was then Natsu decided to speak, completely confused about the flow of conversation.

"Hold on a minute! How did you know that I'm a dragonslayer? How'd I even became one?!"

"Originally, dragonslayers were all humans but they were gifted by the power to easily learn dragonslaying magic from their dragon parent." Tiamat explained.

"Dragon parent?"

"Yes. In the ancient times, humans become dragonslayers under the teachings of their dragon parent for long periods of time. Unfortunately, there's also a price when it comes to becoming a dragonslayer… And that is abandoning your humanity."

"My humanity?" A nod soon followed from the blue-haired dragon king as she continued.

"By doing so, you embraced your powers freely and attained the power that slays dragons. Much evidence can be shown on your rampage against Phenex. By using the full extent of your powers, you've temporarily lost all reason and partially became like an enraged dragon. Your transformation is also proof of that." She finished as the others looked at Natsu with shocked expression while he on the other hand, simply frowned upon hearing all of it.

"So I lost control, huh?"

"Maybe yes and no. The side effect of being a dragonslayer is getting drunk on your own power. Though in your case, there's an unlikely chance for you to become one since you've never bathe on the blood of the dragons." She explained.

"I see…"

"Wait a moment here! There's just one thing that bothered me." It was then Akeno decided to speak.

"What is it?" Tiamat looked at the black-haired devil with anticipation.

"How did you know so much about this? Not to mention, how you know so much about them. And why are you seemed so familiar with him since he came from the Hyoudou household?"

A couple of heads soon turned towards Tiamat with confusion who only answered them with a nonchalant expression.

"I know the existence of the dragonslayers long before I stayed here in the Underworld. The only reason I intervened is because I recognize the nature of his powers." Her answer seemed unconvincing for the black-haired devil as she narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

"That doesn't answer my question about you being familiar with him. How did you even know his name?

"Does it matter?"

Before the argument could even escalate, a knock on the door soon came about as two figures made their appearance to the scene which surprised Rias upon recognizing them.

"Grayfia-san!? Onii-sama?!"

Tiamat also recognized the crimson-haired Satan before her as she quirk her brow in curiosity at his appearance in the medical rooms.

"Good day to everyone… It's a pleasure to meet you all. Good day to you too, Chaos Karma Dragon." Sirzechs lightly shook his head in his greeting.

"There's no need in formalities, Sirzechs. What have you come here for?"

"Oh, I was just looking for Rias and her household to discuss about the postponed engagement. The Phenex agreed on discussing the matter and had Riser to come along as well."

"Riser?!" Rias widened her eyes in surprise.

"Him again!" Issei gritted his teeth in anger.

"Calm down, everyone. This is about the continuation of the engagement. I'd like to discuss this peacefully and how I also want to end it between households without bearing any ill wills." Sirzechs explained.

"So the engagement is cancelled?"

"Yes but I need your help on all of your presence in the meeting in order for the discussion to be carried out peacefully."

There was a moment of silence between the group until Rias sighed underneath her breath and finally agreed on the meeting.

"Okay… I guess, we should attend as well. But what about Natsu?"

"Don't worry, I'm sure the Chaos Karma Dragon will keep him company in his recovery. For now, we should discuss our own matters regarding with Phenex." Sirzechs reassured which only made the others to nod their heads in response before following him and Grayfia down to the hallway, leaving the medical room.

Akeno took one last glance to Natsu who smiled in reassurance but not long before she casts an annoyed glare on the blue-haired woman beside him before closing the door in front of her and went along with the others.

As soon as they two were alone, Natsu turned his attention towards the blue-haired woman in front of him.

"So, will you tell me exactly who you are?"

At first, Tiamat was surprised by his sudden question but immediately recomposed herself afterwards before seating on a chair beside his bed.

"I guess, we haven't properly introduced ourselves to each other yet." She smiled, her expression towards him completely changed apart from when she was talking with his friends earlier.

"I guess so… Have we met before?" As soon as he asked that, Tiamat simply lowered her head for a moment before whispering something that even his sensitive ears couldn't pick up.

"We once were…"

"Did you say something?"

"No, it's just your imagination." She brushed him off with a smile. There was a moment of silence between them until Natsu decided to change the topic between them.

"So, uh–are you a dragon?" He asked curiously.

"Yes."

"Hah–strange…"

"What's so strange about it?" She asked curiously.

"Well, that's–uh how do I say it? W–Well, I never thought of one being a woman before. A-A beautiful one that is." He struggled to find an answer before his eyes soon caught into attention after seeing her leaning her face close to him, reaching just a few mere inches towards his face.

A blush crept up onto his cheeks after seeing her face up close. Normally, girls wouldn't do this kind of thing since they were sensitive about their self-awareness towards boys but Tiamat seemed to be different since she used to be a dragon.

"W-What?" He tried to ask despite their face being close to each other.

"Your scent… It smells nice." She muttered but Natsu felt like he misunderstands something.

"W-What are you talking about?" He frantically panicked but Tiamat could only giggle lightly in response as she drew her face back.

"It's still the same as before." She whispered.

"Huh?"

"It's your imagination. Don't pay heed too much about it."

"You're weird." He snorted.

"Am I now?"

"Anyways, I want to ask some questions from you." He tried to return back to the topic as he focused his attention to her with a serious gaze. "Who are you and how did you know of me?"

"My name's Tiamat. As what you have heard from your friends, I'm actually a dragon– a dragon king to be exact."

"Huh? That's odd. If you're a female and also a dragon king, wouldn't that make you dragon queen?" He assumed which only made the blue-haired woman to sweat at his silly question.

"RRiiiggghhhttt. I guess you could call it like that. Leaving that aside, I suppose this is all a bit overwhelming to you now, doesn't it?" She asked.

"You mean the dragonslayer thing? Honestly, I just don't feel affected by any of it at all. Ever since I learned to use this power, I knew that I'm not just any ordinary person," He paused.

"But you know, originating from a dragon surely looks terrifying and cool." He drew a wry smile in which she noticed as Natsu slowly shook his head and stared oddly from below. His thoughts recalled back on his memories of the past that he cannot remember which only made him wonder about his origin.

Ever since stumbling unto this new world, he began to question his past. Of how he was related to someone back then and wanted to know why.

And now the revelation of him being some dragonslayer surely confused him.

Pulling another wave of silence between them, Natsu snapped out from his thoughts and decided to ask once again.

"So what's going to happen now?"

Tiamat simply crossed her arms with a shrug.

"Well, only a handful of high-ranking devils knew of your fight with Phenex but that doesn't mean the information is kept in secret. Sooner or later, someone might convince you to join their ranks. I won't let that happen."

"How are you going to do that?" He asked curiously.

"Simple. They mess with you, they mess with me." She reassured. It took a few more seconds for him to understand what she meant.

"Right." He drawled lazily.

Before they could continue their conversation with each other, another knock on the door resounded in front of them as Grayfia came inside with a calm expression.

"Excuses, I would like to call Natsu-sama to attend the meeting with the discussion between Phenex and Gremory. It is immediate for him to come along." She replied.

"Can't you see he's still recovering? I thought I made it clear to not meddle on matters concerning him." Tiamat spoke with finality.

"Apologies, Tiamat-sama but the Phenex household demands his attention, especially Riser himself. If we fail to comply with their demands, we might risk his nature to the ears of other devils." Grayfia explained.

"So, they started blackmailing, huh? Who they think they're messing with–" She was about to stand up in opposition until a hand stopped her from getting any further. Her eyes landed back towards the pinkette who smiled in reassurance towards her before turning his attention to the silver-haired queen.

"They just need me in the discussion, right?" A nod soon followed, prompting him to lower his head in response before looking back to Tiamat.

"I'm fine now. Don't worry."

It took only a moment for the female dragon king to realize the injuries on his body beginning to heal back up in a fast rate. Her eyes widen in surprise as he stood up from his bed and followed Grayfia towards the door.

 _The power flows strongly in him… Just what have you been doing with him all this time, Igneel?_

* * *

The meeting was held on a large room as both members of Phenex and Gremory showed their presence in the meeting. On the left lies the entire members of the Occult Research Studies together with Rias who was also accompanied by Sirzechs to discuss the matter concerning their engagement.

Riser and his peerage stood on the other side with the former completely irritated and pissed at the turn of events. The result of the battle left him a bitter taste on his mouth despite it being cancelled.

After all, he was completely beaten by a human.

Silence seemed to cover the atmosphere of the room as they all waited for the pinkette to come along.

It didn't take long for them to wait as the doors opened from the entrance and revealed Grayfia alongside with Natsu and Tiamat.

"I brought him." Grayfia bowed.

"Sorry for the trouble, Grayfia." Sirzechs apologized.

The silver-haired maid nodded her head in response as the two guests arrived at the scene. Issei and the others were relieved to see him finally okay while Riser on the other hand, harboured a rather resentful expression towards him.

"You called me?" Natsu looked at Sirzechs in question.

"This better not involve all the information about him, Sirzechs. If I see one devil blabbing his mouth, I might not be so lenient." Tiamat warned with hostility but the Satan only mustered a polite nod towards the dragon king before speaking.

"Rest assured. I'm sure that only the Phenex and Gremory household knows much about him but we will have no desire to cause trouble for him." He replied.

"That better be true to say to the other household." She glanced towards the Phenex household with suspicion. Several of Riser's peerage took notice of her gaze and could only take a step back upon feeling her power.

"Please, please. We came here for the discussion about the engagement. I wished for both sides to cease hostility with each other. We, Phenex have no desire to cause trouble for the human boy as well." A man spoke in place for the household. He seemed to be older than Sirzechs but his atmosphere made Natsu to assume that he's the head of the Phenex household.

"Of course, Lord Phenex. Well, returning back to the subject, I would like to ask for the engagement–" Before Sirzechs could even continue, Riser raised his voice to speak.

"I want to know what's going on! Especially on that human boy. What the hell is he?" Judging from his question, it seems like he still doesn't know about him being a dragonslayer.

"We came here to talk about the discussion, not about him. We called him as one of the participants who took part on the Rating Game between you and Rias." The older Phenex replied.

"But why the secrecy? There's something going on about him and I want to know why!" He urged until he felt a tug on his clothes as Ravel tried to calm him down.

"Onii-sama, you're making a scene."

On the other hand, Issei and the others could only whisper at each other.

"What does he want with Natsu anyway? I thought he was going at Buchou before." Issei whispered.

"Probably because of his defeat from him. Riser is known to be extremely arrogant and wanted to exploit every weakness he can find from his opponent." Akeno gritted her teeth in frustration.

Sirzechs and the older Phenex could only look at each other at the sudden turn of events.

"About the engagement–"

"I could care less about the engagement. I want a rematch!" All eyes turned towards Riser in surprise.

"Rematch?" Sirzechs asked in curiosity.

"Riser. What you're asking is totally uncalled for. The battle is considered finished and was cancelled. There's no need to discuss about that fight." The Lord Phenex tried dissuading him but it seems like Riser isn't letting that topic up.

"I demand a rematch!"

"Onii-sama. Please stop it!"

The uproar seemed to be escalating as Riser continues on his rant about his demand that only made the other, specifically the Gremory household to shake their heads at his current state. Sirzechs was also losing his grip on the discussion until Natsu speak in behalf of the household.

"A rematch, you say?" He asked.

"Natsu?" The others looked at him in surprise. Even Sirzechs and Lord Phenex were also surprised at his question.

"So you've finally speak. I demand a rematch with you, human!" Riser smirked.

"Riser, the matter will not be settled in just one rematch." Lord Phenex tried to speak but Natsu interrupted him.

"It's fine. I suppose we could make some conditions to put those matters out of the way." Natsu smiled in determination. All present devils looked at him in confusion.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Say, if I win, will you leave Buchou and the others alone and accept defeat?" Natsu wagered.

"What?" Some of the members looked at him in disbelief but Riser smirked at his response.

"Fine by me. If I win, I'll take your precious president with me."

"Done."

"NATSU!" Rias and Akeno shouted in disbelief.

"I suppose that settles this matter, right? A rematch which will decide who gets his conditions fulfilled." Natsu looked at Sirzechs and Lord Phenex in anticipation.

"It seems like you're the one giving the negotiations now. Very well, I'll accept the terms. What about you, Lord Phenex?" Sirzechs nodded at the proposal.

"Onii-sama. You can't be serious!" Rias looked at his brother in disbelief.

"That human boy is something indeed. I guess I could accept his terms. I hope that also settles your matter, Riser." He looked at the blonde-haired devil beside him.

"I was waiting for this." He smirked.

"Then a rematch will be held in a couple of minutes. Only members of this meeting will be the only ones who can watch this match. I recommend concealing this information from the other pillars. Is that clear?" Sirzechs reminded, causing everyone to nod in response as they all began to go back to their respective groups.

Rias and the others met up with Natsu and Tiamat.

"Just what the hell are you thinking, Natsu? A rematch with him? I thought we're behind that!" Rias spoke.

"Riser needs to learn what it means to lose and I'm not planning on losing." He reassured.

"That may be true but Riser totally underestimated you back then. Now that he knows your true power, he will never hold back against you." Akeno said in worry.

While discussing about the matter, Sirzechs made his way towards them.

"I just talked Lord Phenex concerning about your identity, Natsu. So far, he's the one in the household who knows about you. He agrees on keeping your secret for your safety which only leaves the other suspecting households the only ones standing in the way."

"Don't worry. I'll take it from there. They can't make a move against him." Tiamat reassured.

"Sorry for the trouble, Tiamat." Sirzechs apologized.

"There's no need for that, Sirzechs. I'm just glad that the matter didn't go out of control."

"Well, we still have a battle ahead. The fight will be a 2v2 rematch between households. You should pick someone from your members to fight with you against Riser." Sirzechs turned towards Natsu in anticipation.

At first, Natsu thought about tagging Akeno or Rias along but his eyes eventually turned towards his brother as he smiled towards him.

"I'll have Issei to fight with me."

"Huh? Me?"

 **[Good choice.]**

"Ddraig? You were listening?" Issei turned towards his left arm in disbelief.

 **[I just can't let myself left out. Anyways, I'll think of something for you to battle Riser on equal footing.]**

Tiamat could only glance away in annoyance.

"Well that's settles it. The battle will decide the fates of both sides. A battle between dragon and phenex."

Natsu and Issei could only nod in response as they looked towards Riser with determined looks. The final battle between dragon and the immortal bird is about to begin.

* * *

 **A/N: Sup guys. Chapter stops here and the next chapter will be bound on the final battle between Natsu and Issei against Riser. Sorry for the long update and also the slow pace of this story but I need to portray Tiamat's introduction just so she can finally become part of the involvement of the story which also includes her affiliation to the harem.**

 **Don't worry, I'll finish up all loose ends on the next chapter then we'll go to the Holy Sword Arc thingy.**

 **See you guys on the next chapter. Thank you for reading.**

 **\- wiErD SpeCtrumz blacking out… … …**


	16. Dragon vs Phenex

**A/N: Sup guys. wiErD here and I have another chapter for you guys.**

 **Hope ya like it!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own any of the two stories. All goes to their respective owners.**

* * *

 **\- Dragon vs Phenex –**

The discussion about the rematch between Natsu and Issei against Riser continued without much of a problem. The battle will be held in an open dimension where only the households of Gremory and Phenex were able to watch.

Anything else will remain hidden in the eyes of other devils at the request of Sirzechs to conceal the dragonslayer in the process.

They were given enough time to prepare themselves as members of the Occult Research Club meet up with Natsu and Issei who were ready for the upcoming fight.

Tiamat stood out ahead of the two near the portal leading to the battleground as the two finished their doings before heading out.

"Is this battle really necessary? I don't know what would that Phenex will gain just by challenging him and the Sekiryuutei." Tiamat crossed her arms in confusion, looking at Sirzechs.

"Riser is known for his arrogance and I can think none of anything to convince him to stand down. Besides, the boy has made his choice. There's no turning back now. They'll have to face him again." The crimson-haired Maou sighed.

"I know but still–" She looked at the pinkette in great worry since he just recently recovered from his fight against Riser. Although she was aware of his hidden powers, fighting an opponent after one heavy fight will pose as a great problem to his body.

The unexpected use of his incomplete version of the Dragon Force is enough proof for her to realize that the boy's power is unstable.

"There isn't enough time for us. The battle is about to begin. We also need to prepare ourselves." Sirzechs turned towards Rias and her peerage who only nodded in response and followed the Maou towards the portal, leading to the side of the battleground as observers of the fight.

They all gave their regards to the two as they disappeared into the portal, leaving only the two of them together with Tiamat.

"I guess this is it." Issei spoke in anticipation.

"Yeah." Natsu replied.

It didn't take long before Ddraig began to speak from his gauntlet to join in the conversation.

 **[Remember boy. The power I gave to you will only last for 10 seconds, you should put everything in your power to beat down that punk.]**

"I know that. I'll just have to make use of it when I have a chance. If I can't bring him down with all my might, I'll have to leave everything to Natsu." The brunet clenched his fist in determination.

 **[Sorry but I think your brother isn't getting much help in this fight.]**

"What do you mean?"

 **[Take a good look.]**

Issei looked at the dragonslayer who slowly began to show signs of fatigue all over his body. It didn't take long as Natsu momentarily lost his strength and almost fell down if not for Tiamat supporting him back up with a worried expression.

"Natsu!"

 **[As I expected, the Dragon Force takes too much toll on his body. It seems like your body isn't trained well enough to use that power for too long.]**

"I-I'm fine. I just need a little bit of rest." Natsu tried to brush off their worries with a reassured look but it didn't convince them one bit.

"He was just fine moments ago, right? What happened to him?"

 **[The boy has some great healing abilities and recovery but his body isn't well trained enough to withstand the aftereffects of the Dragon Force. Even if he has these great traits, it would be meaningless if he can't train his body to use the form freely.]** Ddraig explained.

"Is it really that powerful?" Issei asked doubtfully.

"It is. It's the final form of the dragonslayer taking in the powers similar that of a dragon and it's a lost art that has been kept hidden within the world for so many years. Even a single hit can actually injure a dragon. Ddraig and I were no exception." Tiamat explained as she tried helping the pinkette stand up straight.

 **[It might be said to be as strong as that of a Balance Breaker. What's more dangerous is that he used it in its incomplete state. What do you think might result in that fight if he managed to assume the complete form of it?]**

"Well, that's–" Issei stopped on his words.

"That's enough about it. Both of you still have a battle ahead. You must not waste your energy over such things." Tiamat interrupted their flow of conversation as soon as Natsu was able to recover himself.

But before anyone of them could continue, a flame circle erupted from behind as a familiar girl revealed herself to the three. Natsu and Issei could only widen their eyes in surprise as the girl approaches them.

"Ravel Phenex?" The two spoke out in unison.

"Pardon my intrusion. But I would like to speak something for Natsu-sama." Ravel bowed politely and it was not long before Natsu pointed a finger at himself at the mention of his name.

"Me?"

On the other hand, Issei slowly made his way towards the portal to let the matter discussed properly to them alone.

"I'll be going on ahead. I'll wait you there, Natsu." He said before walking towards the portal, leaving only Tiamat and the two alone.

Natsu turned towards the blonde girl with confusion since he doesn't remember having any business regarding to her.

"So what do you want to talk about?"

Without even wasting a second, Ravel bowed in front of dragonslayer with a frantic voice.

"Natsu Dragneel! Please, defeat my brother!" Natsu felt the need to repeat her statement as his face drew even more confusion towards a sudden plea.

"E-Eh? Defeat your brother?"

"Yes. I know Onii-sama can be a bit overstepping at certain but it seems like he's gone really far this time! That's why I wanted to speak to you." She spoke.

"W-Well even if you didn't say that, we're still going to defeat him anyways-"

"That's not the case here! Onii-sama will not hold back this time. I don't know what goes inside his mind right now but I'm sure he will try to harm you once the fight starts." She warned.

"There's no need to worry, I supervise the battle and I can easily cancel the match if there's any killing intent involved with the participants." Tiamat reassured.

"I know but still, I'm just uncertain what my brother intends to do so be careful out there. I know that it is not my place to say anything like this since we're opponents in our last battle but I wanted to at least inform you of the incoming battle ahead." Ravel continued with her head bowed down in front of the dragonslayer.

"So basically, you're worried about him?" Tiamat assumed. Her eyes quirking in suspicion towards the Phenex girl.

However, that statement got her flustered and shocked at the same time as her cheeks immediately went beef red and retreated a few steps away from the pinkette with an awkward expression.

"N-No, that's what I–" Ravel tried to deny the Dragon King's answer but was interrupted by Natsu who spoke afterwards.

"Alright, got it. I'll make sure to remember that in the fight so thanks." He smiled which soon got the Phenex girl in a daze.

Tiamat could sense a very dangerous scene for her as she suddenly pinched Natsu's side, cutting their conversation and pulled him close to the portal.

"O-Ouuuuch! It hurts!"

"If that's all then there's nothing more to discuss, right? Let's go, Natsu." The blue-haired woman pulled him into the portal, without giving the girl a chance to say anything as they disappeared from sight.

* * *

The place of the battlefield is a deserted wasteland stretching far infinitely towards the horizon. A red sky from above is accompanied by countless illuminating lights that looked like the Northern Lights. Two tunnels are seen from both sides where the participants are meant to arrive.

Rias and the others were situated outside the battlefield as they watched the impending fight through a hologram with Sirzechs and Grayfia along with them.

Riser on the other hand, stood on one of the corners of the field waiting for his opponents with an angered look on his face. After all, he didn't like anyone making him wait. Even worse, the person whom he'd lost is his opponent.

It's no wonder why he's like that right now.

On the other end of the tunnel, Issei and Natsu are about done with their preparations as they both unleashed their powers to fight.

"Are you done?" Issei looked towards his brother in anticipation as the pinkette nodded in response before heading out.

"Natsu." Before the dragonslayer could step out the field, Tiamat called him back.

"What is it, Tiamat?" He titled his head in confusion. She simply approached him and handed out a blue lacrima in which he grabbed before looking at it in confusion.

"What is this?"

"It's a dragon lacrima. A power orb consisting the powers of a dragon. My powers to be exact." She explained.

"Why are you giving this to me?"

"Your body is in no shape to fight unless you needed rest. There's a chance where you might lose your strength in the middle of the battle or worse, you might hurt yourself so I wanted you at least to accept my power." She offered.

Natsu stared at the blue orb for a moment.

"T-Thanks, I guess. But you don't have to go that far for me." He looked at the glowing blue orb before blue flames sprout forth from it and entered to his chest like a transfer of power.

Natsu suddenly felt a change in his powers as if his powers doubled ten times apart from it was before.

"It's only temporary so make use of it. You're battling a Phenex so use your powers to your advantage along with the Sekiryuutei." She said.

"Sure. And thanks, Tiamat." Although it was not needed, he felt that he wanted to thank her for lending her powers.

And with that, he finally entered the battlefield where Issei is waiting for him.

It didn't take long for him to reunite with his brother as they both faced Riser along with his selected piece. Their eyes however, widened in surprise at the recognition of the figure.

"R-Ravel?"

The girl gazed down at her feet with no will to fight them. Riser stood between her and the boys as put up a condescending attitude towards them.

"So you two finally showed up huh?" His eyes glared solely at the pinkette.

"What's the meaning of this, Riser? Are you planning to have your sister fight too?" Natsu demanded, wanting to know behind his actions. They thought he would choose Yubelluna to fight with him but it looks like he picked Ravel instead which doesn't make any sense.

"Is that what you're worried about? Maybe I can think of something that might force you to stand down if I threaten her right now." He lifted his finger and pointed at Ravel as if blasting her away.

The girl was surprised before instantly overcame with fear and confusion after hearing what her brother had just said.

"You bastard-"

"Don't get the wrong idea. I'm just testing you two. I don't plan on hurting my sister however, I find it strange for you to have any connection with her despite being enemies." He laughed heartedly.

"That's none of your business!" Natsu spat.

"Well anyways, enough with the chit chat. I'm gonna settle this fight by burning both of you until there's none left." His expression suddenly turned hostile as both Natsu and Issei raised their guard up after noticing his killing intent.

"Stay there, Ravel. In fact, I won't be using you for this battle so you can just watch. Is that clear? I'll take them on both myself." He briefly glanced back to the girl.

"Y-Yes, onii-sama." Ravel cowered as she stepped back away from him and watched in a fair distance between them.

"So you're planning to take us on alone?"

"The Sekiryuutei isn't much of a problem. The only one I'm going to beat is you, human." Riser intimidated.

"Heh, don't underestimate my brother or you'll regret it."

"I don't even have to."

Their eyes gazed intently at each other as both sides prepared themselves to battle.

For what it seemed to be their final conversation, the air surrounding them suddenly became silent and still. It was not long until Riser suddenly sprouted his flame wings and dashed straight towards the two in an insane speed that surprised the two in the process.

Before they could realize even what's going on, they were immediately flung away further to the battlefield as Riser grabbed both their heads and blew them away with his speed.

A couple of observers were completely shocked at the display of speed Riser made just now.

"Wha-What just happened?" Rias couldn't follow her eyes through the attack.

"He's fast." Kiba blurted out. Only Sirzechs and Grayfia were the only ones who aren't surprised at the predicament.

"It seems like Riser recognizes both of them as strong opponents. For him to use his full powers against these two simply explains that both Natsu and Issei were formidable opponents that are not easily underestimated. He will not fall for the second time." Sirzechs muttered.

"Not to mention, his extreme hatred towards the other boy for defeating him is also the reason why he's not holding back. He'll try to do the same just what Natsu did to him." Grayfia added.

"Does he intend to kill both of them?" Akeno feared.

"No, he can't while both houses are watching this fight. If anything comes to show, we'll fix the situation." Sirzechs reassured.

"Plus, the Chaos Karma Dragon is also watching."

Rias and the others could only watch as the battle between them continue.

Back at the battlefield, Natsu and Issei recovered themselves momentarily as they felt dumbfounded of witnessing such speed. It isn't the same like their battle last time.

They're going to fight a full-powered high-class devil for the first time.

"Tch, I can't believe he had that kind of power. It makes my fight with him before quite meaningless since he's not giving his all that time." Natsu glared back at the Phenex before him.

"Well, he did not expect you to be strong like that so he's being cautious." Issei added.

"Right now, he's only focusing his own fight against me. This will be our advantage, Issei."

"What do you mean?"

"As he said to us before, he's underestimating you. If I can keep him occupied long enough for you to activate your power, that's the only time we will counterattack and defeat him together." Natsu proposed.

 **[Sounds like a good plan. I agree with him, partner.]** Unexpectedly, Ddraig joined in the duo.

"Ddraig?!" The two boys exclaimed in surprise.

 **[However, are you sure you can hold out, boy? This is a high-ranking devil we're talking about here.]**

"If what Tiamat said is true about me then it shouldn't be a problem for me. Dragons are known to be resilient and stubborn and it would be the same as me!" Natsu said proudly.

 **[Heh, you definitely are lot like him.]**

"Huh?" Natsu asked in confusion.

 **[Nevermind that. Let's go and put that bastard down!]**

"Yeah!" They shouted in unison.

"Hmm?" Riser's eyes quirked in confusion as Natsu stepped up to him alone as he saw Issei backing away a bit, gaining enough distance for the both of them.

"So you finally decided to face me alone. If you relied help from your useless friend all the time, I would've lost my interest. Though I doubt the Sekiryuutei can do anything against me having such a useless host." He sighed in disappointment.

"Hoh? Is that how you see him? Well in that case, best prepare yourself because I'll take everything you said about my brother back." Natsu snarled.

"Hmph. I will not be defeated by anyone. Not anymore! Even to you, lowlife!" Riser heightened the usage of his power as Natsu began to use his power once again.

Soon afterwards, blue flames began to circle around the pinkette as if engulfing him in azure light. The intensity of the flames was hotter than it was before, catching everyone's attention after witnessing it.

"What is that?" Akeno asked in disbelief.

"I've never seen that power before. How did he-" Even Grayfia was surprised since she could sense the overwhelming pressure of magic surrounding boy. Not only were that, the field around him turned into a scorching earth due to its intense heat. Even Issei had to take a few more steps back to avoid the scorching heat filling up the entire field.

Sirzechs narrowed his eyes before glancing away towards the distance, recognizing what's happening.

 _'Tiamat, huh.'_

He set aside his thoughts for a moment before turning his attention back to the fight.

On the other hand, Issei was surprised at the new power he witnessed from his brother. It's not the same flames he used before in their fight against Riser.

"What kind of flames is that?"

 **[It's Tiamat's power. It seems like she lent a portion of her power to help him fight against Riser since he's condition is still not fully recovered.]**

"That's Tiamat's power?"

 **[Yeah. A power that belonged to the strongest of the Dragon Kings. That's Tiamat, the Chaos Karma Dragon.]**

"So cool."

 **[This is no time to be amazed right now, partner. That power is only temporary and Natsu might fizzle out soon before we could even use our power against him.]**

"Right!" With a determined expression, Issei focused on channelling his powers to his gauntlet in order to bring out his power he got from Ddraig.

Going back to the two, Natsu continued to pour out his power as azure flames continue to envelope him in a dome of fire that soon shot out to the sky. Tremors resulted in its destructive power and Riser couldn't understand the unfolding situation.

"Wha-What is happening?" He asked himself in disbelief as the flames soon began to recede, revealing Natsu in new form.

His eyes soon began to shift towards the Phenex in determination.

"Let's get going, Riser. You still have more in you, right?" Natsu taunted.

"Kugh–Don't underestimate me, human!" Riser shouted as he instantly dashed straight towards the dragonslayer with right flaming fist.

In just a flash, Riser collided his fist towards Natsu that soon emitted large shockwaves around them though he was left completely distraught upon seeing his attack easily blocked by him in just one hand.

"What the-"

Natsu never moved from his position before summoning azure flames around his hand where Riser connected his fist at and blew him away in a sea of fire.

Fortunately for Riser, the flames only damaged his clothes since he's immune to flames. Although, the flames he used in their last fight could easily hurt him, the azure flames aren't that harmful as before.

"Keep your eyes on the fight!" Natsu caught his attention as he descends down with flaming kick above him.

"Silence, human! I don't know what tricks you've put on our fights but I'll make sure to put you down until you won't get up!" Riser blocked his attack with a responding kick that both sent powerful shockwaves around them.

Their clash ended as the two leaped away before landing a full stop away from each other as they both looked at each other briefly.

"Good 'cause I'm getting fired up!" Natsu smirked before putting a taunting gesture towards him.

 **"Chaos Fire Dragon Mode!"**

"Die boy!"

Both Phenex and Azure flames clashed to each other in such intensity that every collision of their attacks sends a powerful shockwave that soon resulted a powerful tremor that even one could describe as a battle between monsters.

Both Natsu and Riser exchanged their attacks, taking blow after blow and recovering their stances in a quick fashion despite the huge punishment sent towards their body with their fists.

Since both of them knew that they're immune to flames, they resorted to brute force, putting up as much power they could have to take each other down.

As a result, they simply battled themselves into hand-to-hand techniques. Natsu held on his own with his resilience while Riser relied on his stamina and fast regeneration to withstand the dragonslayer's killer punches and kicks.

Riser managed to connect one of his fist once more on the pinkette's face, sending away though Natsu easily recovered from it before punching the ground to lose his opponent's balance. A powerful tremor resulted afterwards as debris and rocks crumble beneath them.

"You bastard!" Riser gritted his teeth before forcing himself to fly to the air to avoid the tremor however, he lost sight of the pinkette and simply glanced around to look for him.

It didn't take long for him to realize as a shadow loomed above him, revealing Natsu with his fists clasped together.

A fierce collision of Natsu's fists on Riser's head brought out a powerful gale and sent the devil back to the ground, resulting a cloud of debris as Issei was forced to shield his eyes from the dust.

However, the onslaught is not yet done as he saw Natsu forming a large ball of azure flames in mid-air, seemingly aimed at the cloud of dust below him.

 **"Chaos Fire Dragon's Blazing Azure Flame!"** He swiped his hands down in which the blue fire ball followed suit and slammed down to the ground, creating another massive destruction around them.

The power of the spell was so strong that it dug through ground before resulting a powerful blue explosion that shocked everyone.

Moments later, the smoke cleared and the destruction is finally revealed as a large crater is seen at the center, spanning several kilometres that shocked the observers.

"T-The field is-"

"Obliterated?" Akeno exclaim in shock at the scale of its destruction. The level of power is definitely higher than a normal high-ranking devil.

Riser was able to escape the destruction as he used his wings to avoid the fireball aimed at him. Unfortunately, he only managed to survive barely through since his clothes were scorched despite having to dodge the entire ball itself.

If he took it head-on, it would definitely settle the match but something was not right.

"Damn you, just where did you get all that power?"

Natsu ignored his opponent's question and simply focused on the fight. Both of them covered a fair distance from each other as he landed back to the ground while Riser rose above the skies, looking down on him with caution.

It didn't take long until his fatigue caught up with his body and begins to show signs of exhaustion after releasing that powerful spell just now.

 _'Damn it! Why now of all times?!'_

He slowly knelt in exhaustion as he can't keep the form forever. Taking Tiamat's powers surely doubles his strength but it also strains his body faster than he would've expected. The battle has just lasted for about a couple of minutes and he's already tired.

"What's wrong? It seems like you're about to reach your limit, huh?" Riser taunted. Natsu could only look up to the man in frustration.

"I guess, there's no helping it."

Taking a step back from his left foot, Natsu assumed his stance as he began to pour out all the remaining bits of his powers into his one final move.

A sudden change of magical pressure was felt by both sides as Riser immediately took caution of the pinkette's actions and narrowed his eyes in caution.

Blue flames swirled around his body as he slowly rotates his body along with his hands at the ready.

 **"Dragon Slayer's Secret Art Revision: Chaotic Lotus, Exploding Azure Blade!"** Spinning his arms in a circular fashion, Natsu generates a massive torrent of blue flames towards Riser.

"I won't be defeated here!" With a defiant shout, Riser enlarged his flame-wings before closing in for a nose dive towards the whirl of flames. His wings grew larger until it formed a shape of a phoenix that soon collided against the torrent.

Huge gales and shockwaves resulted at the intense power struggle between both sides. Neither one side intends to give in to the other as Natsu and Riser poured out their powers to overpower each other.

However, Natsu's stamina is reaching its limit and the borrowed power begins to fade away from his body.

Gritting his teeth in frustration, Natsu finally shouted.

"Let's go Issei!"

With the last of his strength finally poured out of his system, Natsu dissipated his flames before a green flash zoomed past him to meet up against Riser with amazing speeds.

"What-" Riser wasn't given the time to react as Issei in his seemingly red armored suit collided his head against him, sending him flying in pain as he took the full hit of its hardened armor.

Natsu's appearance reverted back to normal before casting a glimpse of his brother facing Riser. Issei usually dons his gauntlet whenever he goes out into battle but this time, he had a full body armament.

It was some sort of a futuristic suit only honed with magical properties as Natsu could feel the presence of great magic within it. He could feel the presence of the dragon hosting inside his brother in that form.

"Sorry for the wait, Natsu." Issei spoke.

 **[It took awhile but I guess he's finally did it.]**

On the other hand, spectators from the outside were utterly shocked at Issei transformation.

"Balance Breaker?! How in the world did he use that?" Rias commented in surprise.

"Isn't that a forbidden move?" Kiba added.

"It was supposed to be like that." Sirzechs corrected. The others looked at the crimson-haired Maou in disbelief.

"Supposed to be like that?" Sirzechs nodded lightly at the response before looking back at the battle.

Eventually, all eyes returned back to the screen as they watched Issei confront Riser for the first time.

Riser however, simply laughed at Issei as if he'd done something stupid.

"Ha, you– and your weak Sacred Gear is going up against me? Don't mess around with me. How dare you interrupt my way of annihilating that human!"

"Sorry but I can't just stand around and let Natsu do all the work. We'll bringing you down one way or another!" Issei declared.

"Heh, show me what you got, Sekiryuutei! Show me the true power of the Dragon Emperor!" Riser challenged.

 **[Let's go, partner!]**

"YEAH!" With a defiant shout, Issei utilized his powers and simply disappeared into green flash and collided against a flaming blur.

 **[Ten!]** The sound of the countdown boomed through the vast battlefield as the duration of the power began to lessen.

"Take this!" Generating a large green orb with his two hands, Issei shot out a powerful beam towards him in which he barely dodged before resulting a huge explosion.

Riser immediately noticed the display of power brought by him and decided to face him seriously.

"Kugh-you two are no more than different from monsters!" Riser sent a whirl of fire towards him in which Issei narrowly dodged before using the thruster from his back to propel him close to him with right hook.

 **[Nine!]**

A loud smack boomed throughout the field as Issei nailed his armored fist right into his cheeks, sending his body tumbling away from the battlefield.

Riser recovered his momentum with the use of his wings and gritted his teeth in anger after taking a hit from him.

"You'll pay for that!" Without hesitation, Riser shot out a large wave of flames towards Issei, forcing him to raise both his fists before a shield formed before him and deflected the wave into many separate beams that crashed into random places, disregarding anyone who gets hit in the process.

Ravel could only watch helplessly as one of the beams is aimed at her in such speeds that forced Natsu to get up and tackle her away.

"Watch out!" In just a few seconds, Natsu saved her just in time before the beam could hit her and skidded away with him holding her protectively close to his chest.

Ravel was simply astounded at the sudden turn of events as Natsu let go of his hold and decided to catch his breath before looking back at Riser with an angered expression.

"Damn, that guy. Even going as far to injure his little sister." He muttered, not fully aware that she was just right beside him.

"I'm sorry." Ravel apologized which soon caught his attention.

"Oh, I didn't mean to-uhm…"

"No, you are right. Nii-sama is already beyond my reach. If anything going to get him back to normal, it has to be your win against him."

"Well, I'm in no shape to fight any longer. The only thing I can do now is to believe in my brother." He grinned while ignoring the strain on his body as he rested down to recover.

Ravel looked at him in worry before biting her lip in frustration as she held tight on her last Tear that she brought in this battle.

..

..

There's only one thing she could do in order to end this fighting.

* * *

The battle rages on as Issei continued to pummel Riser with his powerful punches with only less seconds to keep his battle form against him. Despite all those efforts, he cannot put the Phenex down with just brute force since he possesses great healing abilities.

"What's wrong?! Is that all you've got, Sekiryuutei?!" Rier mocked as he threw another large flaming ball towards him.

Issei responded with the same power output and launched a powerful beam that easily penetrated through the fireball and went straight to Riser, sending him flying away further into the sky.

 **[Eight!]**

Using his thrusters, Issei zoomed towards him in blinding speeds and delivered a punch in his stomach, sending him back to the ground.

A huge cloud of dust erupted in his descent as Issei waited a few seconds for it settle until a large disk made of fire was launched towards him, barely dodging it as he saw Riser slowly regaining his foot with slight injuries all over his body.

"Tsk, even with all that punishment, he's still standing up." Issei whispered irritably.

 **[That guy has some great healing abilities far better than Natsu himself so defeating him is not that easy. You'll need to keep damaging him to the point where he can't heal his injuries all at once just like what Natsu did back then, it's the only thing that can help us win through this.]** Ddraig advised.

"Easier said than done. He's being cautious and I can only last only at a few more seconds." Despite the complaint, Issei can only hear the dragon chuckle at his reply.

 **[Well, you'll just have to keep on attacking him.]**

"Was thinking the same thing." He agreed.

 **[Seven!]**

With that said, Issei resumed his onslaught against Riser as he amassed another large beam and aimed it towards Riser.

"Don't get ahead of yourself, lowlife!" Riser responded with a torrent of fire as both powers collided with each other and blew everything away in their vicinity.

Both sides struggled to overpower until their attacks faded instantly and dissipated in which Issei used as an opportunity and zoomed forward to attack him head-on.

"What the-" Riser wasn't given the chance to respond as he felt a forceful kick in his chest, sending him further away. Crashing into one of the rock debris, Riser tried to recover himself but Issei kept on coming towards him and continue to attack him relentlessly with a series of punches and kicks that even he could not regenerate his body fully.

"Damn you!" Somehow, he managed to land a blow to Issei's face, shattering his helmet open but stood his ground and simply went on continued his onslaught.

 **[Six!]**

"Haaaaaaargh!" With a right uppercut, Issei sent him off the ground and attacked him in mid-flight without giving him the chance to recover from the hits.

"TAKE THIS!" With roaring shout, Issei generated another huge beam on his hands and sent it towards him without hesitation. However, Riser managed to dodge it in time as he proceeded with a counterattack and kicked the boy away from him.

"Know your place!"

Issei plunged back to the ground with a huge cloud of debris kicking up after his descent. Riser watched momentarily as the cloud settled and revealed a wounded Issei on the ground as his armor started to crack in some places after taking such a huge hit.

That kick was not ordinary. It was powerful enough to knock out a normal devil. Issei was fortunate since he donned his Balance Breaker to withstand attacks like that for a short amount of time.

However, despite surviving that blow just now, he's not at a disadvantage as he saw Riser beginning to regenerate his body back to normal.

 **[Five!]**

"This is the end, Sekiryuutei!" Riser amassed a huge fireball above his hands. It seemed large enough to engulf Issei wholly if launched against him. The size was unnaturally as if he created a small sun just by looking at it.

There's no escaping this attack.

"Die, dragon!" Swiping his hands down, Riser sent the huge fireball down towards him. Issei could only shield his eyes as he braced himself from the attack.

In just like that, the whole field below was engulfed in fire as the ball exploded upon touching down the ground and enveloped everything in flames.

Riser smiled in satisfaction after seeing his opponents finally defeated before his eyes.

"Hmph, it seems like you two are all talk." He muttered in disappointment.

He was about to turn around and head back until a slurping sound rang on his ear, causing him to glance back as the flames swirled into one direction.

"I-Impossible! How did you-" His expression turned into disbelief as he saw Natsu infront of Issei absorbed all the flames around them, completely negating the effect of his attack by just eating it.

* * *

 **[Dragon Force – AMV]**

* * *

"Yaaaataaaa, thanks for the meal." He patted his stomach after taking all the flames inside of him, powering him up once more.

"Natsu?" Issei stared in surprise at his appearace. Even Riser was also shocked after finding him well enough to fight.

"That's impossible! How are you still able to stand up–" His words stopped as his thoughts immediately went back towards the girl on the sidelines.

His eyes widened in shock after seeing the small bottle held in her hands was empty.

"Ravel, you-" His expression turned into anger after realizing of what's going on before looking back at them.

On the other hand, Issei was still surprised until Natsu looked back at him and offered his hand.

"Come on, Issei. You still got more power left in you, right? Then let's finish this and go home with the others!"

"Yeah!" Taking his hand, both of them faced Riser in determination.

"If this is how it ends then I shall gladly use all of my powers to incinerate you all!" With a last ditch effort to bring them down, Riser tried to use all of his powers and formed a massive pillar of fire on his hands as if shaped like a huge blade, aimed at them.

"You're not getting away!" Both boys shouted in unison as they dashed separately and stopped Riser from unleashing his spell. They both connected their fists towards his face and sent away before releasing their powers.

 **"Fire Dragon's Roar!"**

 **"Dragon Shot!"**

A stream of fire and green combined into a massive torrent that soon engulfed Riser, wounding him in the process after taking a full hit of the two powers of the dragons against him.

His body was burnt with multiple injuries and scratches all over it, leaving him completely defenceless and powerless to regenerate himself quickly.

 **[Four!]**

"Let's finish this in one final attack!" Issei shouted.

Stretching one of their arms back, Natsu and Issei began to pour out all of their powers as a huge ball of fire and green appeared behind them, combining into one surge of power that was felt even outside the battlefield.

"What a pressure– To think that their power is even felt through here." Grayfia stuttered in surprise. A power like that is similar to a Maou that could obliterate anything that stand in their way.

She clearly felt a huge immense of power coming from the two as if there were two dragon uniting their powers into one.

Tiamat was silent throughout the observation but her eyes widened in surprise as she saw a vague apparition of a red dragon behind Natsu as if it was supporting him.

"I-Igneel?!"

 **[Three!]**

Back at the battlefield, Riser could only grit his teeth in frustration as he could sense danger coming from the two after merging their powers together. His injuries are still healing and he doesn't have enough strength to move further.

Despite him being immortal, Riser has a limited amount of stamina and his powers could not restore it. With that, he's vulnerable against long-term battle fights since he can't replenish his stamina with his own regenerative abilities.

Turning his eyes far to the corner where he spotted her, Riser simply shouted.

"Ravel! Give me one of your Tears now!" His voice sounded more like a threat rather than a command.

Surprisingly, Ravel never moved from her position and simply bit her lip at his harsh reply.

"What are you waiting for?! GIVE ME A PHENEX TEAR!" This time, his voice became desperate and Ravel could only shook her head before tears went down from her shadowed face before uttering a whisper.

"N-No, Onii-sama."

 **[Two!]**

And in just like that, anger rushed all over his system until his attention went back to the two who finally finished their powers and looked at him one last time.

"I-I can't be defeated here! Not by the likes of you two!" In a desperate attempt to win, Riser rushed towards them like a madman to stop them.

However-

He was already too late.

 **[One!]**

 **"Fire Dragon Emperor's Crimson Fang Flash!"** Thrusting both of their hands forward, Natsu and Issei delivered a huge stream of energy towards Riser, engulfing him completely and ravaged through the other end of the battlefield before resulting a massive explosion that erupted through the distance.

A huge light enveloped the entire area, blinding anyone from watching as the field was simply engulfed into a bright light.

It took only a few minutes for the light to simmer down and revealed a war-torn field as smoke and embers resulted the aftermath of the attack.

A figure was seen heavily wounded at the far end of the field as Riser was knocked unconscious with his body sustaining burns and other injuries.

Ravel on the other hand, sheltered herself from one of the sturdy rock formations and looked at the battlefield and saw Issei and Natsu panting in exhaustion after using that one final move. Issei returned back to his normal self, leaving him in his student clothes while Natsu sweated heavily from the full usage of his power after that one final move.

"T-They did it… T-They've won."

Everyone was just shocked at the current turn of events. Even Lord Phenex was surprised at the aftermath.

A collective wave of smiles was seen from the Occult Research group after seeing the battle finally ended in their victory.

"They did it! They defeated Riser!"

"Natsu-san. Issei-san."

"I can't believe it."

"They're strong."

Sirzechs lightly smiled underneath his breath and simply looked at the two with praise.

Going back at the two, Issei and Natsu simply looked at each other before smiling goofily.

"We won." Issei spoke.

"Yeah-" In just an instant, Natsu fell back on the ground.

"Natsu!"

"Ah damn, everything just hurts now. I can't wait to rest myself after this." Natsu cursed with a smile which only made the brunet to chuckle as he saw their friends finally coming towards them after the fight.

Tiamat smiled warmly as she lifted up her worries at the end of the battle.

"Natsu…"

* * *

 ** _Three days later… At the underworld._**

The medical rooms of the Gremory household were pretty much the same as the real world as Natsu slowly opened his eyes for the first time and found himself yet again facing the white ceiling above him.

The pain on his body was much worse than he'd suffered back after his first fight with Riser. Bandages and cloth wraps are seen all over his body, covering his injuries.

His strength is still yet to recover since he could only move his body in a minimum degree.

"It seems like you're finally awake." A male voice resounded from his left as he saw Sirzechs sitting right beside him as if waiting for him to wake up.

"Umm… You are-"

"The name's Sirzechs. I believe that you might heard of me due to my relation with one of your friends, Rias Gremory." He replied in a calm voice.

"Rias?- Wait, where's everyone? What happened to the fight?" His memories eventually came back to him as he remembered all the past events that transpired after their fight against Riser.

"You won. You and Issei successfully won against Riser in a rematch and the deal regarding my little sister's engagement is finally voided without much of a complaint from the other household." He reassured.

"I see… Then that's fine, I guess." He sighed in relief.

A moment of silence went between them until Natsu changed the subject.

"So where are the others?"

"They are resting on the other room. Issei sustained only a few injuries while you received worse since your body isn't fully recovered during that time with Riser three days ago. Tiamat had to pour some of her own powers just to stabilize your body for a short while until you can finally rest easy."

"Wait- Three days?! I've been asleep in three days?!" He asked as if he was completely shocked at the revelation. Sirzechs nodded lightly at his flabbergasted expression, resulting him to calm down for a bit and rethink about the events the soon came after.

"What happened in those three days? I mean, with everyone." He asked.

"Nothing much although the problem regarding your identity is yet to be solved." He frowned slightly.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, the fight ended out in your favour but the problem regarding about the other devils who caught wind of your identity is still at large. I'm afraid it will not be long until that information will be sent from the outside and even towards the Fallen Angels and Angels Faction."

"So there will be more coming for me, huh?" He lazily shook his head in response.

"It's nothing to worry about. Plus, I assume that the others won't be so hasty on making any move on you since they don't know much about your nature."

"Riiight." He drawled lazily. Honestly, talking about things like these are a pain in the ass.

A knock on the door interrupted their flow of conversation as Issei along with Akeno and the rest of the Occult Research club members went inside to greet the injured dragonslayer.

"Sorry for the intrusion." Rias bowed before letting the others approach the pinkette in relief.

Natsu took his gaze off from Sirzechs and looked over to his friends as a smile went over his face after seeing them fine and well.

"Everyone."

"Natsu!" Akeno and Asia could not hold back their tears and simply threw themselves at the pinkette, surprising him as he caught them just to prevent them from toppling him over the bed.

Issei slightly hissed from the behind but immediately replaced it with a relieved smile after seeing his brother alive and well.

These past three days had them really worried since he won't wake up from that time.

"Thank goodness you're safe, Natsu-san. I was desperately trying to heal with all I've had since you haven't been waking up all this time. I-I'm glad!" Asia cried underneath his embrace, earning him to smile warmly at her caring nature towards him.

"Yeah, sorry for making you wait, Asia. I'm really a stupid brother." He apologized.

"Mmm, I don't care any of that! I-I'm just glad you're okay!"

"Thank you, Asia… I'm also sorry for making you worry, Akeno-san." Natsu apologized at the next girl who only embraced him without saying much of a word as tears streaked down her eyes, wanting to share the moment of being close to him.

The other simply smiled at the heart-warming sight as Rias and the others stood there watching their friends crying out for each other.

"You certainly met such great people, Rias." Sirzechs muttered in satisfaction.

"E-Eh? I-I mean, yes! They're really special to me."

The reunion between friends lasted only for about a few minutes as they all began to talk to each other as usual, easily forgetting the hard-fought battle between Riser and the two. Akeno and Asia were already fighting for the position who gets to take care of the pinkette while the others simply laughed at the sight.

It didn't take long until Tiamat showed herself at the door, interrupting the flow of their conversation as she made her appearance.

"I hope I didn't interrupt your fun." She apologized sincerely which is kinda unusual for Sirzechs since she never took a light presence whenever she shows herself.

"No, not at all. I'm sure you have something to say about problem regarding Natsu's identity to the underworld."

Hearing that topic, everyone stopped and looked at her with anticipation.

Tiamat merely sighed at the expectant eyes gazed on her as she casually spoke about the results.

"As what Sirzechs was talking about earlier, it's too late to keep the secret about Natsu. Even with my presence of overlooking him isn't enough to prevent the information from leaking out."

"So there's nothing we can do about it?" Rias asked.

"That's right. So in order to solve that, Ajuka permitted me to supervise him and live out in the human world together with him."

However, her reply did not exactly sink immediately as several of them were dumbfounded upon hearing her response to them.

.

.

"Eh? EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHH?!" Rias and Akeno shouted in disbelief as both of them fell from their seats along with the others who had the same expression, except for Sirzechs and Natsu.

The latter on the other hand, drew a rather confused expression while the former cleared his throat as if he was composing himself.

Not gonna lie, the decision was rather surprising to him at least.

"I-I see. So Ajuka approved of your request to stay with him for the time being. I think this is also a great opportunity in order to ensure the presence of the devil's supervision on Natsu. Both Gremory and Sitri agreed on the terms but I never thought about including Tiamat as well." Sirzechs reasoned.

"Sitri knew of his identity too?"

"More or less. Serafall was one of the Satans who watched the Rating Game. Sona and the others are also involved in that but they made no such problem regarding his identity as a dragonslayer. In fact, Serafall helped Tiamat in quelling down any information being leaked out to the other factions although it was not enough." He explained.

"Serafall Leviathan watched the fight?" Rias asked in surprise.

"Of course. She developed an interest regarding on Natsu as well but unfortunately, she had other things to take care of so she wasn't able to watch the rematch." Sirzechs continued. Out in the corner, Tiamat formed a tick mark after hearing that reply.

Their conversation was cut as Grayfia came into the door together with Lord Phenex.

"Pardon my intrusion. Lord Phenex is waiting for you, Sirzechs-sama."

The crimson-haired Satan nodded lightly at the others before standing up and followed the two before leaving a short farewell with the others. Everyone simply bade him with the same gesture and returned back to the usual conversations with each other.

"A lot sure happened in the last three days. I wanna go home early." Natsu groaned.

"Nope, you're going to rest until you fully recovered, Natsu-san!" Asia insisted.

"That's right. You challenged and defeated Riser who is considered to be one of the powerful and high-ranking devils. I think you should give your body some more rest. If you want, I could share my warmth with you in order to make you feel better~" Akeno started with a rather seductive approach on the pinkette until-

A menacing aura rose behind her back as Tiamat glared at the black-haired devil.

"Just who are you to have the right to say such things in front of him?! Do you want to be burned alive?!" Tiamat growled as if she was about to turn into her dragon form, causing everyone to panic.

"T-Tiamat-san… P-P-Please calm down!" Asia tried to speak but the situation grew even chaotic after Akeno's next reply.

"Hoh? So the mighty Dragon King is getting in the way, huh? Well, I shared myself next to him many times before. You shouldn't be getting in our way now." Akeno soon clung into one of the pinkette's arms.

Natsu could feel the plushy mounds pushed on his arm and cannot help but hold his nose to prevent it from bleeding.

More importantly, what everyone didn't expect afterwards as Tiamat's reaction towards the intimate skinship between the two.

"Wha–What?! Is this true, Natsu?!" Instead of unleashing her wrath, her face blushed heavily and looked at the pinkette with a flustered look.

"I don't know what she's talking about." He replied almost instantly, unaware of the situation he's into.

"Oh, don't be like that, Natsu. We do these things all the time, right~" Akeno pushed her breasts even further but Natsu tried to remain conscious.

It didn't take long as Tiamat clung herself into his other arm with her own breasts pressing unto it.

The soft feeling between his arms was the killing blow as Natsu felt the heat rising up on his face and could only stutter in response.

"H-Hey, you two… Your breas–"

"Don't get ahead of yourself, devil. I can do as much as I want with him." Tiamat retorted as she pulled him to her side.

"Ara, ara. I won't just allow it like that. I'm his senpai, you know~" Akeno pulled the pinkette close to her in retaliation.

"He's a dragon by nature. It's natural for both of us to take care of each other!"

"His nature doesn't matter. He's still mine~"

"No, he's mine!"

"No, you're not!"

"You're not even marked by him!"

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Muuuoooo! Don't bully Natsu-saaaaan!" Out of nowhere, Asia came in hugging the nearly-unconscious pinkette, not wanting to surrender him from either of the two with a blushing face.

"GIVE ME A BREAK, ALREADY!"

Issei bit his lip in jealousy as he comically cried out on the corner with envy towards his brother.

"Damn you, Natsu! I want to be on the same position as you!" He muttered in tears while Koneko simply replied harsh words on him with Kiba chuckling at his friends' antics.

Rias could only sigh with smile as she continued to watch Natsu being pulled on three sides with him nearly having his soul partially out of his mouth. If this goes on, he might die because of those three.

However, the sight of her friends finally okay satisfied her. She was just glad that all of them are safe and sound after dealing with her problem regarding her engagement. She might have to thank both of them for saving her.

Looking towards the window, she could only wonder about the future lay in store for them.

 _'I wonder how things will go from now on.'_

* * *

 ** _On some unknown location…_**

A lone figure is seen standing on a dark room as the light of the moon shined through the windows, giving a little bit of visibility over to the room itself. A desk accompanied by a comfy chair is seen near the large window.

The figure stood beside it, facing the outside world in wonder.

"Dragonslayer, huh?" He speaks slowly in a low tone before turning himself towards the empty room covered in darkness.

The light of the moon made it enough to see the figure itself as it describes a lean and muscular man dressed in a marooned leather jacket. A slick of golden strands sweep along the black ones, protruding one side and towards his bangs which covered his face from the moonlight.

He sits on the chair and slowly placed his hands to support his chin as if thinking of something.

"I guess we'll have to make a move soon. You know what you have to do, right?" He speaks onto the darkness until another lone figure revealed itself up front.

"Yes, Azazel-sama." The voice was feminine and the only thing that could be seen through her was her dark hair flowing gracefully in the dark night.

"But what about Kokabiel?" The female asked as if demanding a permission to take someone down.

"Leave him be. I'll have someone to retrieve him if he goes too far."

"…" The female never replied but her expression reveals that it's not enough or rather, she wanted to do something about it.

"You're just going to observe him. If what your information is true about him, we'll need to observe discreetly. The devils are staying more vigilant as ever. The Angels are also making a move soon. It's better to keep a low profile until we can begin ourselves."

"Yes, Azazel-sama." The female replied without hesitation and simply disappeared into sight.

The man called, Azazel sits back comfortably and turned his chair around to face the moon with a deep thought.

"Natsu Dragneel… Just who are you exactly?"

* * *

 **A/N: And there's the final chapter of the Riser Arc. We'll be now moving into the Holy Swords Project Arc with a lot of cameos appearing sooner.**

 **As you can see, Tiamat will now live in the Residence so she's now part of the harem and story as a character. For everyone who's been wondering about a certain fallen angel, I will have her feature soon on this arc where she would also become part of the residence after the peace treaty so look forward to it.**

 **Several cameos and other characters appearing the later chapters will be also featured as well.**

 **I'm sorry that it took longer to post an updated chapter because my family had a major remodel of our house and I had to help out with the duties so I can't touch my stories much often. There's still some work to do but I'm taking off breaks to update chapters little by little so I apologize for the slow updates.**

 **Anyways, hope you enjoy the chapter. I'll see you again on the next update. Thanks for reading and supporting my stories. You have my big thanks and praise for patiently waiting on my updates.**

 **\- wiErD SpeCtrumz blacking out… … …**


	17. The Holy Intervention

**A/N: Sup guys. wiErD here and I have another chapter for you guys.**

 **Hope ya like it!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own any of the two stories. All goes to their respective owners.**

* * *

 **\- The Holy Intervention –**

 **..**

 _It's a big world._

 _A grassy field that reaches to the endless horizons can be seen. The light of the setting sun painted the sky in orange. Its sign beckons the end of that day. The wind brushed past the field in a gentle manner. The small grasses bend themselves in accordance with its direction like a multitude of waves similar that to an ocean._

 _A fluttering sound echoed as the wind flew by at the grassy plains alongside with surroundings trees. A child quickly ran towards the middle of the field. His faint breaths showed signs of gasping and desperation. He frantically ran as if he was in a hurry._

 _"Tia...!"_

 _His voice was uttered in the gentle winds as the boy called a person's name._

 _He called repeatedly, hoping that person would hear his voice despite having nowhere to look for. The field was peaceful and magnificent but a sense of loneliness filled the atmosphere as the boy searched around for her in distress. It would seem even the area around him shows its empathy towards him._

 _"Tia..." The boy sounded more depressed as the hopes of finding her seemed rather slim._

 _Time is not infinite. He knew that well enough so he wanted to look for her one last time. His head turned around once again and saw no one in sight. He felt hopeless._

 _"Tia..."_

 _He uttered that person's name again as if it's the only thing he wanted to say at this moment. His voice quivered and his eyes watered in tears as he failed to find her._

 _It is almost time._

 _._

 _._

 _"You called?"_

 _A mature voice suddenly rang into his ears. At the same time, his tears stopped and his voice halted into a gasp as he turned his head around and faced a woman standing behind him. The angle of the distant sun obscures his eyes from seeing her at the moment until a sway of light-blue hair graced from the corner of his eyes. Joy was present on his face as he didn't take a moment and hugged the woman in tears once again._

 _"Tia!"_

 _The boy launched himself towards her stomach. Her face lit up in mild surprise but softened afterward as she lightly patted his head in reassurance._

 _"What's wrong? Why are you crying? You did promise me that you won't cry anymore, right?"_

 _Hinting a promise they made before, the boy slightly flinched but the sobs concealed his movement and wanted to embrace her even more. There was a moment of silence between them until the boy broke away from the hug but still retained his saddened expression towards her._

 _"Because... we're already parting, aren't we? W-We might never see each other again."_

 _The boy cried but the woman simply smiled in response to him for reassurance. She simply knelt down to meet his height._

 _"Don't say it like that. We will see each other soon. You promised, didn't you?"_

 _"E-Eh?"_

 _"That I'd become your mate when you grow up. A dragon should look out for his mate when he grows up and never cry, right?"_

 _Her response made him stop as he looked at her in wonder. She broke into another angelic smile to reassure her words. She wanted to encourage him and give him the hope for the trials that lie before him. She knew what kind of hardships he's going to face once they parted. If she only had the power to protect him, then he wouldn't have to go to this trial._

 _That thought accidentally slipped out from her mind as her face suddenly turned into a saddened one. The boy noticed this and could not help but ask._

 _"Tia...?"_

 _Before she could even speak, a vicious gust of wind blew behind them. The sign of his departure finally came. A huge shadow loomed over to the field. It's a giant creature, one that has existed in the myths._

 _A crimson dragon._

 _Red scales covered most of its body. Several scars are seen on its body with its beige colored chest being the most prominent due to having an X-shaped scar in it. Four giant claws stomped the ground like tremor and two bat-like wings are seen on its back. Its sharp features and intimidating presence asserted the opposite of the field around it as being smooth and coated with a gentle atmosphere. For the boy and the Tia, his appearance signals the beginning of their parting._

 ** _"It's time... my child."_**

 _Its voice was uttered like a thundering sound that could scare a child if heard for the first time. The boy, however, was used to it and he saw that dragon be as one of his special family._

 _He flinched at his words but he understood him. Reluctantly, he finally lets go of Tia and slowly approached the creature with a saddened expression. He climbed on its back while looking back at the woman one more time._

 _The dragon shook its snout in satisfaction before looking back to the woman in anticipation. A few words were exchanged between the two as if they were acquaintances. Natsu couldn't hear beyond that due to their conversation being way too complex for him to understand._

 _Moments later, they finished but it was not long before Tia looked back at him one last time. Their eyes met as she spoke._

 _"Become stronger... And when you finally do, you will find me."_

 _The boy held his tears and instead, answered with a determined shout to reassure her._

 _"Yes! WAIT FOR ME, TIA!"_

 _The dragon merely released a grunted sound which soon followed by the vicious flapping of its giant wings as it began to soar into the skies, carrying the boy with him. The woman stood in her position as she watched them disappear into the horizon. She waved her hand goodbye to the boy as the day began to end._

 _A deep sadness cultivated inside her heart but the promise he made reassured her._

 _They will meet again._

 _And when that time comes, he will fulfill his promise to her._

 ** _.._**

* * *

Groaning...

His ears heard his first words as Natsu flickered his eyes open. His vision met the ceiling and the tired feeling of his body continues to float in his system, preventing him from getting up. His mind was literally lost in thought after experiencing yet another dream.

 _'What the hell was that?'_

He wondered inwardly before the silence of the atmosphere was interrupted by the loud chirping noises of the birds from the outside. His eyes followed the source of the sound which also lets him get a look at his current surroundings. The start of a morning finally rubs the rest of his sleepiness off his body. Light penetrated through the windows as the sun rose up from the horizon. Some of it hits his eyes, prompting him to shield it with his hands since the position of the window is facing towards him.

Realization hits him as soon as he found himself in his room. It seems like he was back in the house although he didn't recall much of what happened yesterday. He slowly sits up straight and glanced about, scanning every item that he recognized to confirm that it is his room.

He shifted sideways as his feet met the floor which soon prompted him to stand up and walk his way towards the door. His hair was messy and his clothes were unruly due to its disorderly fashion yet he didn't mind.

"Fish~ fish~ fish~ I'd like to have a little bit of fish~"

Out in the corner of his eyes, he saw Happy sleeping in his cat bed in which he made it just for him ever since he stayed in the house. It would seem like he was having another dream of fishes again. A light bubble is seen on his nose, expanding and contracting in succession towards his current breathing.

Natsu somehow found it quite silly for some reason but decided to leave him for now and let him sleep further.

The pinkette dragged his feet to the hall and slowly went downstairs where he found both of his parents doing their usual chores. The place was quiet except for the sounds of the food being fried that catches his attention due to his now growing hunger.

At that moment, his parents noticed his arrival.

"Ara, good morning, Natsu!" Her mom called out in glee as the pinkette passed a friendly wave and sat at the table across where their father is sitting, reading a newspaper as usual.

The sound of ingredients boiling from the pots entered his ears and the sweet smell of the food's aroma tickled his nose. A growling sound was emitted soon after.

"I'm hungry~"

"Don't worry, breakfast will be ready soon but you should go wake up Issei and Asia too. You wouldn't want to let them get left out, don't you?"

"She's right..." Out in the corner, his father spoke up while holding his newspaper right in front of his face.

"Sure thing."

Natsu nodded and decided to head back upstairs to wake up his two siblings. His brief conversation with his parents surely made him fully awake now.

He walked towards Asia's room since it was quite near to the stairs. The cute sign was plastered on the door, spelling out the name of the person inside which slightly made him smile a bit. He lifted his right hand and gently knocked on the door to wake her up.

"Asia... It's already morning. Breakfast is almost ready."

No reply was heard from the other side. Not even a faintest sound can be heard inside despite his heightened hearing senses. He could've assumed that she did not hear him well enough.

"Asia."

He slightly raised his voice and gently knocked again. However, the same result happened.

 _'Strange... Asia is not a heavy sleeper until now.'_

He tried turning the knob and surprisingly found it open for some reason. It was not locked as he heard a slight turn of the gear that soon gained him access to her room. The door silently creaked open and revealed the interior of the room itself.

The walls were painted pink with intricate designs all over that is something similar to every girl's room. Several types of furniture are seen around like a closet and a small study table where she usually works on her schoolwork every now and then. Items and other related stuff are seen all around.

Natsu felt like he was invading her room without permission.

However, they were already living together under the same roof for quite some time so the feeling should rather fade away now but it seems like he still hasn't. After all, Asia is still not related to their family or some sort. His relationship with the Hyoudou is long since rooted ever since.

After a few moments, his eyes finally caught to her who is sleeping peacefully on her bed. Asia had her body shifted sideways, causing her silky blonde hair to freely occupy the other side. Strands of her blonde hair scattered beautifully like the ones he would see in TV dramas where a particular actress lies on a bed in the same position to boost the show's dramatic effect.

Of course, Natsu couldn't deny his heart starting to race after thinking it like that. However, he pushed it aside and tried to focus back on his original task.

"Asia... Asia... It's already morning."

He lightly shook the sleeping girl who only made mumbling noises in response. It seemed like she was really tired of it.

"Mmmhumm~ Neko-san~" She mumbled words which Natsu took as some part of her dream. Her expression went into a light giggle as her dream continues on. He probably might feel bad for waking her up like that.

Sighing deeply, he silently walked right towards her and brushed her locks that obscure her face. Asia slightly moved as soon as his fingers touched her face. Her lips formed into a faint smile like a pampered child.

"Hmm... Guess I'll come back later." He muttered in an undertone and tried to head back to the door until–

 **GRAB***

Natsu felt his hand being held back or something. He looked back and saw Asia grabbing the hand he used to caress her with her two soft hands. Her body was slightly arched from the bed due to their distance but her eyes were still closed, indicating her half-woken state. A gentle smile was plastered on her face as she forcefully pulled his hand close to her as if it was a stuffed toy.

The pinkette suppressed the grunt that was supposed to come out from his lips due to the sudden pull and immediately found himself lying the bed with her. He lost his balance and had himself pinned as Asia snuggled closer to his arm like a cat person.

"A-Asia."

This time, he tried to break free but the girl's hold is too strong for him to get away and eventually made him wondered just how much strength does she possess.

Strength aside, he immediately found himself in an awkward situation. The door is still open and someone might misunderstand that would hurt his image in the future.

No! He IS NOT taking advantage of Asia. He liked her innocence and it's purely by chance that she somehow got his arm without knowing it by herself. Then again, he sweated at the thought of Issei and their parents finding him in this position and would undoubtedly misunderstand everything. Not to mention a certain black-haired senpai that is considered to be a sadist when it comes to punishing others with pleasure.

A freezing chill overwhelmed him that it momentarily dominated his body warmth upon recalling that person.

He's not going to sit around and let someone find him like this.

However, as he was about to forcefully yank his hand out from her grasp her voice quickly stopped him.

"I-Issei-san... N-Natsu-san..."

Wait what?! She's crying?!

Woah for a second there. Just moments ago, she was dreaming about cats and now she's calling out their names in a saddening tone. Her beaming face immediately turned into a strained expression as she unconsciously sobbed in her sleep.

"Don't leave me... I... I already found a family. I don't want to go back."

She mumbled out words that expressed her sadness at the thought of being alone again. At that moment, the dragonslayer paused in his thoughts and focused on thinking solely about Asia. Even though it was already put behind her, the recurring memories of her painful past still linger in her heart. He remembered how she told him about the story of her past as a nun, only to be betrayed by the ones she tried to help for doing a blasphemous act against the Church.

Natsu didn't care if her actions were deemed bad or evil. It's the narrow-minded people who easily judged her as a heretic even though her intentions to save that devil was genuine. Asia values life and harmony between humans and supernatural beings. Whether it be a devil or a ghost, she will always reach out her hand to help them without thinking of the consequences. She was bold and strong to her beliefs to help the others but all of that was crushed when she was branded as a traitor of the Church.

Her very home banished her away and left her to become an underling in the hands of the fallen angels. Natsu could only wonder what kind of future she would've taken if he and Issei never met her in that park.

Funny...

The two of them meeting her in that place he called fate was her longing wish of a miracle by God that she prayed for so long. It did not end to what she expected it to be but her desire to be part of the family she always dreamed off was fulfilled. And she was forever grateful to it. Devil or not, she's still her and that would never change.

The only thing that's waiting for her is the future. Her new day with them began in that one decision to become a devil. It was the turning point of her life that lies ahead of her. She only needs herself to find out what it is.

Natsu softened his gaze at the sleeping blonde girl and stroke her hair once more to ease her sadness away. At that moment, she felt a warmth feeling and her face finally rested again in happiness as he continued to caress her until her hold on his arm finally loosen, indicating her to be peacefully asleep.

He faintly smiled as he silently made to the door and closed it to let her rest for a bit.

A huge breath was released from his mouth as soon as he got out of her room and only wondered.

Come to think about it, even though they're already living together for quite some time, he never actually held a long conversation with her once. He could only blame of the recent events that happened to them because of the appearance of Riser.

 _'I guess, this time, I might have a chance to talk to her more after all.'_ He noted the thought inside his head and simply went ahead to the other room where Issei was sleeping.

His room was located just beside Asia's since his room was located across them. Waking them up isn't that much of a problem when he's asked to do it. He stopped right at the door and knocked as well.

Like Asia's, the door was also unlocked for some reason.

Man, they really needed to lock their doors if they're ever going to hide their privacy from anyone. Then again, Natsu knocked a few times to show his respect but the response he got was nothing but silence however, he did hear a constant creaking sound of the bed as if someone kept on shifting their sleeping position from time to time.

Of course, it would be Issei and it's not weird since he had a bad sleeping habit same as him.

Wanting to not waste any more time, he simply opened the door and casually made his way inside.

"Oi, Issei. It's already morning! Get your ass downstairs. Mom and Dad are waiting for y–Huh?"

His sentence came to an abrupt halt, has his eyes blinked not once but twice or even more to confirm what he is seeing right now.

To explain what was going on inside his mind in simplistic terms, it would be like this,

Natsu walks in.

Door busted open.

Sees a completely nude Rias, who is beside Issei, who is unaware of it.

His hands on her boobs, Rias gives a moan.

Issei's face twisted like a perverted guy. *He's sleeping by the way.

Natsu had only two conclusions.

Issei + Nude Rias + Moans = Porn scene.

Issei + Nude Rias + Groping = Call the police.

"..."

Natsu blankly stared at the two in a completely deadpanned expression as he lost all words to say something about the situation. He didn't even bother to wake up the two even though he found them. More probably, he needed more time to process the current situation.

At that moment, Issei eventually woke up from the stimulating soft object that he was unknowingly touching. It was a rather different kind of feeling. The shape of the 'unknown' object is easily recognized from someone in his caliber in terms of being perverted.

"OPPAI!" His voice sounded heavy like he was serious while at the same, shocked as soon as his eyes finally opened and immediately got a full view of oppais in the first thing in the morning.

Now this is quite a change.

Who would've thought that he would have himself a pair of oppais placed on his hands in the morning?

 _'Calm down... I'm sure this is just a dream. Calm down and take a breath.'_

He controlled his breathing that is speeding up due to the close proximity of the oppai in front of him. A man like him should have a clear mind before assessing the situation. Setting the little details aside, he should cherish this moment in his mind in order not to forget it.

 _'Wait a minute... I didn't order a pair of oppais did I?'_

He then looked up and recognized whose oppais he was seeing and groping.

"B-B-B-B-Buchou!?"

A frantic scream escaped from his mouth, causing the girl to wake up as well as she slowly opened her eyes and tried adjusting her senses to her surroundings. She rubbed her eyes and sat straight. Her immediate action caused her boobs to jiggle playfully and produced a floppy sound as it rocked upward before stopping.

For Issei, a moment of seeing oppai bouncing like that is a godsend. That one alone is enough to cause him a massive nosebleed but thankfully, he's not on his red period yet and the scene was just a starting point.

"Hmm... Good morning, Issei-kun~" Unlike from his initial reaction, Rias had a rather calm expression as if everything was normal to her.

"Umm... Good morning. Why are you naked, Buchou?" Issei tried to act composed as possible, unaware that Natsu was silently watching them with a blank expression.

Before she could even speak, their attention finally lies on the pinkette standing near the door.

Silence ensued between them as Issei jaw dropped in shock at his appearance. More like his jaw suddenly lost all its joints and came dropping down together with a wide-eyed expression that signified utter complete shock.

So much that it could enter to a point of having his world turn white for a moment as soon as he was found out by the pinkette in a rather lewd situation.

After a few seconds, Natsu slowly grabbed a nearby phone and began to dial a number. He finally chose a conclusion.

"911, I got a situation here in my house."

"IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK! ! ! ! !"

* * *

The morning passed and the sun was already beginning to set for the noon as the group finally went downstairs to eat their breakfast. Issei was sweating, Asia was fuming, Rias and Natsu are calm as usual – basically, everyone had a different type of expression after the unavoidable incident that happened earlier. Even their parents didn't know what to say about the odd atmosphere surrounding them. After all, Rias stepped yet again without permission from them which is why they were a little bit in shock to find her inside their house.

It's a fortunate thing that they didn't find out about the whole nude incident between the three but Asia was informed nonetheless which resulted in her current grumpy look towards Issei and Rias. Natsu was the only one who hasn't got any problem alongside with Happy who is always seen resting on top of his head.

Both of them simply ate their meals silently as the conversation about Rias' sudden visit was explained to them throughout the course of time. Of course, as liberal as their parents are, they dismissed her visit as nothing but a small matter and offered her hospitality.

As soon as they finished eating, the group began explaining behind her sudden visit.

"I-I see... I guess there's nothing wrong about it. You're always free to visit us, Rias-chan." Their mother spoke in delight after knowing the reason behind the redhead's sudden visit.

"I'm sorry for the intrusion, Mrs. Hyoudou." Rias bowed her head in apology.

"No, no, no. You don't need to do that. We're just surprised, that's all but I'm glad that you're making friends with my children here. It's probably the first time someone had to come here and visit them."

"Hn... Natsu-kun and Issei-kun are really helpful in our club activities. They're really nice people so it's natural for me to show my gratitude for helping out in the past couple of days." Rias nodded with a smile.

"I see... I'm glad. Well then, I'll leave you all to your matters. Feel free to ask anything if you want something to be done, okay?"

"Thank you, Mrs. Hyoudou."

And with that, she stood up and went over to the kitchen to wash all the plates. Mr. Hyoudou got up from his seat and followed his wife to help out as well, leaving the four alone on the table. Silence assailed in the air around them as soon as they were left alone. Everyone felt awkward for some reason until Rias decided to break the tense atmosphere between them by speaking.

"So, I guess everyone's all here then."

"Wait a moment... First off, we need to ask a few questions from you, Buchou." Natsu immediately raised his hand, prompting everyone to look at him in curious looks as he displayed a rather serious attitude which was very unusual in the first thing in the morning.

"Sure, what is it?"

"Are you and Issei already married?"

.

.

"Eh?"

Said people blinked their eyes in surprise, especially Issei who spurted out his drink out of complete shock as he looked at the pinkette in disbelief. It didn't take long for Asia to become flustered at the mention of the word and simply looked at the brunet in shock. Happy, on the other hand, rested peacefully on top of his head like nothing else matters other than sleeping beside his partner.

"W-What are you saying all of a sudden, Natsu!? I told you it's all a misunderstanding!"

It also didn't take long for the rebuttal responses to fill the room as Issei slammed his hands down on the table out of pure embarrassment.

"Ara, that would be too hasty to think about it. I'd like to take it nice and slow for now."

Unexpectedly, Rias seems to have not been bothered by it as she replied with a positive attitude about the topic. Her calm expression is in stark contrast to the rest of the group who were both panicking and blushing at her somewhat unusual reply.

"B-Buchou?"

Eventually, Issei became flustered as well at the sudden declaration as he couldn't keep his composure after hearing her words earlier. For someone like her, it sounded a bit unreal to hear her agreeing to the fact of being in a relationship with him. After all, they only had a master-and-slave relationship. Or at least, that's what he thought.

"Plus, having my precious Issei close to me would surely strengthen our bond even more, wouldn't you think?"

"Hmm... Is that so?" Natsu pondered.

"Anyway, leaving that aside, I also came here to give you all some information about what's happening in the past few days."

"Is it about that time with Riser?" Issei asked in which Rias nodded before speaking.

"Well yes but the situation isn't that much of a problem now. Nii-sama and Lord Phenex have agreed on the terms of your victory against Riser so there's nothing more to discuss that except for one thing."

"And that is?"

"Natsu's identity to the other factions."

The pinkette, on the other hand, simply quirked his brow in curiosity at the mention of his name.

"What about me?" He said.

"As you can see, Nii-sama couldn't do anything to stop the leakage of the information and was eventually spread around."

"Why does keeping Natsu's secret that important? I mean, it's not that of a big deal, right?"

This time, Happy spoke in question as he finds it confusing for them to be worrying about such a thing. His curious expression, however, was merely met with a disapproving nod from the redhead as she explained further.

"You must understand. It's not as simple as dismissing a simple rumor. Natsu is indeed a dragonslayer and his nature as one of the lost races is an important factor to all of us. And due to that, we'll be getting a lot of attention from the other factions who managed to get wind of it and eventually would try investigating as well."

It was then Rias' expression suddenly changed. Her face adopted a narrow gaze that caused the others to take her words seriously. Without even realizing it, their atmosphere turned dull and unlively.

"If things get worse, he will be subject to their experiment or any plans they had in store for him."

Happy contorted his lips into a frown as soon as he understood the situation. He doesn't know how things work out in the world around him so he's completely oblivious to the consequences that centered on Natsu's identity.

They can't blame him, though. Everything just happened so fast that led them into this situation. There were still a lot of questions left unanswered and all they could do right now is to be careful from what's to come. They wouldn't want the same situation with Asia to happen again.

Another brief silence wrapped their location until Rias spoke again.

"Anyways, that's not all the things that I wanted to share with you all. There is still some good news about what's happened, though."

"What do you mean?"

At that moment, the red-haired devil stood up in which their eyes followed suit.

"For now, let's head to the club."

* * *

It was Saturday...

The sun is already shining bright, bearing its heat down to the earth in a seemingly endless array of invisible lights. Noon had started and the clear skies indicate today's sunny weather. Most of the people stayed in their homes rather than to wander around in the heat which resulted in only a few bystanders walking in the neighborhood.

The fuming sounds of vehicles moving past by them signified the busy atmosphere of the town despite the lack of people seen on the sidewalks.

The group simply walked on the sides that consisted of different tag groupings. Natsu and Asia alongside with Happy are the ones that occupy the front while Issei and Rias cover the back of the group. So far, the atmosphere around them seemed fine as the two saw the other three having fun with each other.

"It's been a long time since we walked together like this."

Issei blurted out with a whimsical thought, unaware of the fact that Rias was right beside him who also happens to be not included in his mentioned thought earlier. The girl, on the other hand, simply gave a light chuckle as she looked at him with a smile.

"One of the days that we all enjoyed, am I right?"

"Well, yeah although they seem to be quite closer than ever." A jealous feeling was noticed from the brunet but Rias could only chuckle yet again from his reaction as if she found it amusing in some sort of way he couldn't understand.

"Jealous, aren't we?" Hinting his current feelings, Issei almost choked down on his words before trying to recompose himself.

"I-I'm not... It's just that I haven't talked much to her even though she became our family."

"Is that so? Well, your brother seemed rather sociable to the others which kinda makes him easy to talk to them. Plus, he somehow notices it firsthand, though." She noted, giving him a rather defeated sigh.

"Yeah right... He reads the atmosphere all too well but he's rather dense when it comes to girls." He huffed.

"Ara, and you're not?"

"I'm trying... Teh–why are we talking about my love-life!?"

Rias could only giggle in response which earned him a heavy blush as he found it hard for him to concentrate when talking to her like this.

Who would've thought Buchou would be such a tease?

He always looked up to her as some sort of a master and authoritative figure but judging from her current expression towards him, it seemed rather unusual. She's somewhat affectionate and acts like so much Akeno when she's on her teasing mode. He wondered if it's because of their fight against Riser that she managed to change her outlook towards him such as now.

After she's done with her laugh, she proceeded to grab his hand and smiled afterward.

"Issei is fine in the way he is right now. Whatever happens, Issei will be my Issei. Nothing will ever change that."

She spoke affectionately which got him heavily flustered all of a sudden as his eyes gazed over to hers as if he was in a state of trance just by looking at her alone. Her crimson hair fluttered around her back and a smile that radiated across her face made his heart race in the process.

Right now, they're about to enter into their own world if not for the mischievous grins coming from Natsu and Happy. Their faces showed their teasing remarks about them before puffing their cheeks as they placed their hands on their mouths before speaking.

"She liiiiikkkeeessss you~"

"W-Wait, this is not what you think–"

"Isn't it fine? I don't actually mind it."

Cutting him off, Rias smiled further as she held tightly to his hand to show their relationship. On the other hand, Asia was only blushing madly from the intimate sight as she tried her best to stay composed as ever but her wobbling figure indicates her obvious flustered state.

"Wawawa... I-Issei-san..."

Issei couldn't know if she's jealous or embarrassed at them but the way she says her words implies her somewhat envious nature towards their situation. Although come to think of it, she always gives a jealous side whenever he or Natsu got tangled into other girls which kinda confuses him to question her feelings for the two of them.

Maybe it's because she cares the two of them as her precious brothers. After all, she is already part of the family so it's not that strange for her to act like that when both of them have their attention elsewhere other than her.

You could call it selfish but they knew that she just want to be pampered as she had no experience of having a family that she wished for. And it also made sense for her to associate with Natsu more than her due to the fact that they're both orphans who were only adopted to them.

He gazed at the sky with a deep thought.

These days...

He just wanted to stay like this. The image of all of them walking side by side is something that he wished for inside his mind. Of course, he didn't forget about Akeno and the others. He wanted a day where they could all have fun together and live happily without any troubles from their current lives as devils.

"Is something wrong, Issei?" Rias, who noticed his adrift gaze, asked curiously.

"Ah, it's nothing. Let's get going, Buchou."

"Hn..." With a nod, she walked alongside with him and continued their way towards the school.

..

..

..

Kuoh Academy is devoid of any liveliness as the lack of students wandering the halls were present. Aside from the ghostly atmosphere surrounding the whole school grounds, faint sounds of the birds chirping off in the distance were the only ones that kept the silence from bearing down on the place.

The group arrived at the gate and walked their way across the field where certain recollections were resurfaced in their minds as soon as they familiarized themselves in the place around them.

That's right.

It's the same place where they used to fight against Riser a few days back. The replicated world of their first Rating Game was their school which held many unforgettable memories that forever dug deep into their minds. The only things that set a difference between them were the blue skies and the lack of destruction.

Everyone could've assumed that it was all a dream since the place is enveloped in serenity. They just couldn't picture their school to be some sort of a battleground.

A few minutes passed and the group finally arrived at the old school building where their club is usually located. A sense of nostalgia went to some of them as they took a moment to observe its old structure.

"It's been awhile since we last visited here." Natsu blurted out.

"Aye... I wonder if Akeno is inside as well."

"Don't worry. She had some errands to do in the Underworld along with Kiba and the others. They should be back soon." Rias said.

With a nod, the group opened the doors and went inside. The dark theme of the room never changed as the thick red curtains that capture the light from the outside reflects its natural color to the room. The brightness was reduced to a minimum as if they have stepped into a different world.

Closing the door behind them, they silently walked towards the center of the room. However, what they saw afterward immediately surprised them.

"Ara, you're all here."

A familiar voice resounded from one of the couches that are facing away from the group. The lack of light made it hard for them to see through but her black hair made them recognize her otherwise. A light smile went up from Happy as soon as the girl glanced towards them with the same expression.

"Akeno!"

"Hello, everyone. It seems like all of you came late."

She greeted. Happy simply flew towards the black-haired female in joy. Akeno embraced the Exceed with open arms to show her affection. At the same time, Kiba and Koneko emerged from the other room with a stack of papers held in their hands as they went over to the main table and settled it down.

"Good day, Buchou." They greeted as well in which Rias returned the favor.

"It's good to see you all here, Akeno. I presume the meeting went well."

"Yes... Sirzechs-sama and other Satans have agreed on the terms regarding her stay in the human world. There were several things that were discussed concerning the other factions but it's nothing to worry about." She replied, prompting the redhead to breathe a sigh of relief at the news.

"I see... I'm glad."

On the other hand, the group behind her were clueless about their conversation which resulted Natsu asking about it.

"Umm, what are you guys talking about?"

Issei and Asia also joined along with his question as the two devils looked back at them to reply until–

"What a shady looking place."

At that moment, a voice resounded from the corner of the room. The others simply drew a surprised look as soon as they heard her voice, specifically to Akeno and the others who didn't notice her arrival just now.

Meanwhile, Natsu and the others shot their eyes wide open as soon as they recognized the lone woman standing in the corner with a curious look on her face towards the room's decoration. Her pale blue hair graced from her back, accompanied by her current clothes that consisted of a blue dress. The skirt reaches down to her knees in which her two identical heels are also noticed. Several frills are seen in the outer linings of the skirt and some to her sleeves as well. A white floppy hat covers her head and a small luggage is seen behind her figure.

However, what really caught their attention was her beautiful face that radiated an otherworldly aura as soon as she broke into a smile.

With a shaky finger, Natsu uttered her name.

"T-T-Tiamat?!"

"It's been awhile, Natsu."

"Tiamat-sama... If you're going to visit the human world, please do so to inform us in advance."

Akeno immediately butted in with a reprimanding tone in her voice. Everyone had to wonder just how she managed to make her way towards the blue-haired woman so fast, seeing that she was just sitting on the couch just moments ago. Happy was also left on the couch, oblivious to what happened to her just now.

"It's no fun if there are no surprises. Plus, I'd like to surprise Natsu."

The mention of the pinkette's name only resulted a mildly irritated look plastered on the black-haired woman's face.

"Please refrain your meaningless excuses. Even if you're permitted to stay, you shouldn't raise any unnecessary statements in the middle of a serious matter."

"Ara... Don't be like that, Akeno-san. I'm very well-aware of your motives but sadly, I'm not letting you have your way with him. Not while I'm still around."

And in just like that, Tiamat's expression turned extremely cold towards Akeno who seemed to be unfazed for some reason as if she was literally challenging her head on. Let it be known that they're meeting with one of the legendary five dragon kings which seemed to be regarded as powerful beings that are feared from all factions aside from the Heavenly Dragon Emperors.

Make that two by the way since one of them is the host of the infamous Sekiryuutei who is already learning to master its powers. Whatever it is, the room was full of tension, specifically to the two women who were now at each other's throats.

Their faces masked the once calm and peaceful expression they displayed with each other. Instead, they were replaced with enmity and jealousy. The others could only wonder in thought.

 _'What happened to the peaceful greeting earlier?'_

Rias noticed their topic was getting out of hand so she decided to break the tense atmosphere between the two. She really needed to straighten up the mood since it's the Chaos Karma Dragon they're talking about here. No matter how she acts, the title she beholds is not something to be taken lightly.

"Alright, that's enough, you two... We didn't come here for any quarrels."

Sure enough, the two broke away from their intense glares as Akeno went back on the couch where Happy was while Tiamat recomposed herself and sat across them with a displeased look direct towards the black-haired devil in front of her.

A couple of sweats dropped from the group's heads as they watched their growing hostility towards each other. Natsu and the others sat on the spare couch located between the two while Kiba and Koneko occupied the other. Rias went into her usual seat on the main table and began to speak once again.

"Anyways, I suppose we should explain about the topic regarding Tiamat's stay in the human world. As you can see, she was already permitted to stay with us in order to serve as Natsu's protector in the time being. That also includes Sona and the others as well."

"Sona? I've heard that name before." Natsu curiously asked at the peculiar name.

"Sona Sitri. We met her before, didn't we? During that time in the gym." Issei recalled it for him.

"Hoh! You mean those people with that guy–uhh what's his name again?"

"Saji..."

"Ahh, that guy huh?" As Natsu tries to recall more, Rias continued on her explanation to the others.

"Sona and the others will be here soon as well but there are also some things that you should all know about Tiamat's stay here. Akeno."

She slightly turned her face towards her queen who only nodded in response before explaining further about the topic.

"Regarding Tiamat-sama's identity as one of the Great Five Dragon Kings, her presence in the human world will significantly cause a lot of attention from the other factions. It is unknown to them that she'd taken refuge in the Underworld or allied with us for that matter but it'll be a bad thing if they found out about that. So to resolve that problem, Tiamat was advised to seal most of her powers in order to avoid detection. Agreements were made from the Underworld that should a situation falls into a level of great danger, she will still have to restrain herself from unleashing her powers even if it endangers one's life. They will decide whether it's advisable for her to release her powers depending on the situation."

Collective forms of surprises went over to the group as they shot their eyes wide, looking at Tiamat in disbelief.

"Is she that really powerful?" Issei asked.

At that moment, a green blow from his left hand suddenly shimmered. A familiar voice was heard as if it was listening to their conversation.

 **[It's more than anyone could imagine. Dragons are extremely powerful beings since the time of man. Even you partner should be aware of how much power you currently have despite you being in your initial stage.]**

"Ddraig!?"

 **[Sealing your powers in order to avoid detection is quite a risk, Tiamat... Are you really that determined to stay with the boy?]**

Soon afterward, the direction of his question falls to the blue-haired woman who only crossed her arms and glanced away with a sharp remark.

"And what about it? Don't get ahead of yourself, Ddraig. I still haven't forgotten what happened 400 years ago."

For some reason, her voice sounded really hostile and everyone could only blink their eyes in disbelief at her sudden change of tone. They didn't expect that to happen to her so it's really natural for them to display a rather shocked expression. A momentary silence assailed in the air and the lively atmosphere died down immediately as the group became unsure of what to say after that reply just now.

Even Ddraig went silent for some reason. At first, they could've assumed that he dismissed the reply easily, however, the green glow on Issei's left hand continued as if he was still listening. And due to that, everyone felt heavy all of a sudden. Moments later, Rias sighed, wanting to break off the awkward atmosphere between them to continue.

"A-Anyways, leaving that aside, you should know what would happen once your powers have been sealed, right?"

Her eyes darted over to the dragon queen in anticipation who immediately changed her expression as soon as she left her gaze from Ddraig and to Rias. A nod was followed by her reply along with a renewed gaze.

"Yes... Prior to most of my powers being sealed, I won't be the same as I am being a dragon king. My powers will be hidden at the most form of discretion in order to avoid the other factions from getting suspicious."

Rias simply nodded at her explanation.

"In a sense, she would likely be that of a high-ranking devil at her weakest. However, make no mistake on judging her powers as of now. She is still one of the dragon kings and her power is no laughing matter no matter how you look at it. Understand?"

She looked at the others for confirmation, prompting all of them to nod in unison.

A few seconds later, the doors opened as Sona and the rest of her peers arrived at the scene to meet up with them.

"Pardon, my intrusion." Sona bowed along with her members before approaching the other peer with an expectant look.

"You're late," Rias spoke.

"It seems like it. I suppose you were just finished concerning about the Chaos Karma Dragon's situation."

"Yeah..."

On the other hand, Natsu and Issei blinked their eyes in surprise as soon as they saw Saji amongst the group.

"Haaa! You!" Simultaneously, the three pointed each other accusingly after recognizing each other.

"You're that stupid idiot from last time!" Natsu shouted.

"Who you calling idiot?!" Saji retorted.

"Don't come closer to Asia, you bastard!" Issei shouted.

Without even realizing their current atmosphere, the three had gone into a brawl as Natsu and Issei began fighting with Saji with really annoyed faces. Rias and Sona once again sighed after seeing their servants fighting each other once again.

The atmosphere lit up again in joy and the two parties celebrated their reunion from the long separation.

* * *

Issei walked alone towards one of the windows of the old building. Apparently, the whole party was held just outside with several foods being served around in the corner. Night descended and Issei simply wondered just how fast time passed although it didn't matter much due to him being a devil.

From what he could remember, devils live for a really long time so his sense of time is not that similar to what he had been when he was still human.

He rested his arms down on the hill with one supporting his chin as he looked down. There he saw familiar faces of his friends and acquaintances talking to each other. Pretty much most of them are devils like him with the exception of the other two.

He smiled at the transition of the atmosphere as he stared at them with a relieved look.

 **[You seem quite a bit off to not join the others, partner.]**

A familiar voice suddenly put his attention back to his left hand which is now glowing in green at the middle as it speaks.

"Geez, if you're going to speak, at least give me a hint of something. You're giving some kind of a heart attack."

 **[Hah, it would be a shame if my host died because of that.]** His tone is really hard to distinguish from the brunet's point of view since you don't actually see the dragon's real appearance up close. He can't tell exactly if he's mocking or just feeling amused at his reply earlier. There were only some instances where he encounters him in his dream though most of it are vague.

"Leave me alone..." Came the retorted reply.

Issei ignored the tease and simply reverted his normal attitude towards the small crowd below with a wondering expression.

 **[Well, this isn't too bad at all. I've been in the hosts of many Sacred Gear holders but this is the first time I've been in the host of a devil.]**

He took a different topic to ease their mood.

"Ha? You have never been held by a devil before?" His eyes lit up in curiosity.

 **[It seems like it.]**

"Well, I was a human before so technically, you were still hosted by a human, though."

 **[Not really, I've awakened in your devil form. Most of the previous wielders were all human when they unleashed my powers but yours is different. You tapped my powers while being a devil and draw out my consciousness.]** He explained.

"Hmmm? Is that so?" Issei hummed as if the whole thing was new to him.

 **[Anyway, I was just asking you, partner.]**

"About what?"

 **[Why aren't you joining with them? You don't look like the type of guy who wouldn't join in this kind of party. Something in your mind perhaps?]** As soon as he said that, Issei only answered with a bitter smile.

"Well, I guess somewhere between that line."

 **[Hmm... It seems like there are lot of things in your mind right now.]**

"Yeah. And so with little answers in them. I can't help but feel uneasy because of it."

 **[Hoh? How so?]**

"Well, I just had a feeling that something might happen soon. Considering that Tiamat is also here with us, we might encounter some enemies soon enough." He answered in a worried voice which also got the dragon's attention.

 **[That's how it is, partner... The world is just full of enemies that want to kill you for no reason. Better train yourself up if that happens.]**

"Oi, is that supposed to cheer me up? I've been killed once, you know."

An amused laugh escaped from the dragon's mouth which got him slightly shocked as a result. After all, he didn't expect a dragon of all times to actually react such a thing. If he were to be unsealed from his Sacred Gear, the earth would've rumbled in his laughter.

However, a sudden thought went past his mind and asked again.

"Now that you mention it, Tiamat seem to know a lot about you, Ddraig. Did you two met or something a long time ago?"

 **[I wouldn't say met but rather an acquaintance. It's been a long time since we last saw each other along with some of the dragons in the past.]** He corrected.

"Heeeeh... So there are other dragons too?" Issei sounded curious. His face lit up in curiosity, taking his eyes away from the group below and towards his left glowing hand which continued to speak.

 **[That's right... Dragons are amongst of the powerful beings that existed in this world. Some of them exceeding far beyond than God Himself. There are several dragon kings that governed a group of dragons under its will while others took in infamous names in due to their achievements and their power towards the world.]**

"I assume that you're one of the latter." Issei guessed.

 **[I wouldn't deny that. A long time ago, I was just a rampaging dragon that caused destruction to anyone who opposed me. Eventually, the world began to fear me and named me as the Red Dragon Emperor.]**

"You sounded like you were proud of it."

 **[I am... Dragons are a proud race. We like to value our pride and show our strengths against anyone. And eventually, putting them to fear us and worship us like the gods themselves.]**

The conversation was really nerve-wracking for Issei by the way. He didn't know if it was the fact that Ddraig was talking about himself as one of the most powerful dragons in history or just that he was beginning to realize just how much powerful of a being is sealed in his Sacred Gear that he can use for his own good.

At first, he regarded his Sacred Gear to be as something normal like the others but with Ddraig spilling out his story as one of the Heavenly Dragons makes it a really valuable asset. It's no wonder why Rias chose him as her servant.

"And Tiamat?"

 **[She is a dragon king. She had her own ways and values towards our brethren but her power is not something to be taken lightly of. As she was one of the Five Great Dragon Kings, her reputation and power are same as that of mine.]**

"It seems like you two weren't in good terms with each other." He noted.

 **[I wouldn't deny myself for that. In fact, she held a grudge towards me.]**

"Did something happen between you two?"

At that moment, Ddraig remained silent. Issei's left hand is still glowing which indicates Ddraig's presence. It wouldn't sound like he was dodging the question. Rather, he was hesitant to say something about it.

"Ddraig?"

 **[Sorry, partner... I just had a memory of the past.]** His tone was sober as if he was feeling regretful all of a sudden.

"What is it?"

 **[I can't tell you right now, partner... It's not something you would easily understand at this time but I can only say that it's somewhat related to your brother.]**

"Eh?" Issei suddenly felt dumbstruck.

 **[Listen to me, partner... I want you to keep this a secret between the two of us. You must not tell anyone about this, especially to Natsu.]**

"Wait... How did you know–"

 **[Trust me on this, Hyoudou Issei... Both you and Natsu will play a huge part of something big in the future. When that time comes, I want you to stay beside him no matter what.]**

It was then, Issei stopped talking and thought about what he just said.

 **[Is that clear?]**

"O-Of course..." He reluctantly answered in response.

 **[That's good... At least, I won't let my same mistake happen again... I'll give you as much as power as you want. I'm leaving it all to you once that happens, partner.]**

And in just like that, the glow on his left hand slowly disappears. His presence waned and the atmosphere returned to its normal state.

"OI OI OI! ! ! DON'T JUST GO LEAVING ME LIKE THAT! ! !"

Without realizing it, Issei shouted in annoyance towards his left hand. Ddraig just literally left him after that talk with him.

Him.

Tiamat.

And Natsu.

It doesn't make any sense.

Just how come his brother was connected to them in the first place? There's a lot of questions he wanted to ask to Ddraig but it seems like he wasn't responding to him anymore. What's left him mostly puzzled is his last question towards him. More importantly, he could recall a few things that Ddraig had said to him earlier.

"Gaaaaaaah! ! ! I don't really get it anymore!"

Their conversation just piled him a lot more questions more than ever before.

And so the night continues.

* * *

The gathering party eventually ended. Rias and Sona along with their respective peers parted ways and returned to their homes. All the members of the Occult Research Club along with Tiamat departed from the school and walked their way towards the Hyoudou Residence.

Some additional information were shared amongst them about Tiamat settling in the house as her means of home for overlooking Natsu. It shouldn't come as a shock for Akeno and the others who were present a while ago at the school since it's been already decided by the Maou a few days back although Akeno seems a bit displeased because of it out of jealousy.

As of right now, she, along with Kiba and Koneko serve as her bodyguards in the meantime until her settlement on the house. After that, they will be freed from their positions and be placed back to Rias' peerage.

Of course, Natsu and the others could only feel nothing but utter surprise from the decision of her stay in their home but they seem to agree with it afterward much to Happy's joy. Although they need another explanation for their parents once they reached home.

It didn't take long for them to reach the house and eventually made their way inside.

.

.

.

"And that's how it happened." Natsu and Issei finished their conversation with their parents after talking about Tiamat's stay. They formed a buyable excuse regarding her origin and the reason behind her decision to stay within the house.

It all started with Tiamat being a foreigner overseas that served as a teacher in Kuoh Academy to help the students. The reason for her stay at their home is to help Natsu, Issei, and Asia in their academic studies by becoming their tutor, providing some special lessons and guidance to improve their grades in the future. Of course, her background was reinforced with a small paper slip from the student council which serves as proof of her affiliation as a teacher in the school.

They might have to thank Sona and the others for that.

"I-Is that so? But letting Tiamat-san stay here is a bit unexpected. We didn't prepare enough time for your sudden arrival."

"Oh don't mind about it, Mrs. and Mr. Hyoudou. Sorry for the trouble I've caused you."

"You don't have to worry about it, Tiamat-san. We understand your circumstances so we'll at least provide you some shelter in the time being."

"Really sorry." Tiamat bowed yet again in sincerity.

"You don't need to feel sorry about it. Anyways, we have a spare room beside Natsu's. Please use it as long as you like. You don't have to feel reserved. It really feels better to help someone in need so we'll be happy to lend a hand."

"Thank you very much. I won't forget your gratitude."

And in just like that, the conversation ended in Tiamat's stay in their house from now on. The group helped along in carrying her stuff towards her room and settled it there before heading back downstairs.

"Then we'll be heading home as well, Buchou." Koneko and Kiba called out.

"Wait a minute. We'll be having a short celebration for Tiamat. Stay for awhile." Rias responded with a lifted arm towards them in which they nodded before settling over to the living room.

Mr. and Mrs. Hyoudou provided some drinks and other food for the group to celebrate her stay. The rest of the members simply sat in their respective seats and carried out their little party inside the house.

Of course, there's still that growing hostility between Akeno and Tiamat whenever Natsu was involved. Luckily, Tiamat had most of her powers sealed so her powers are not that strongly felt even to normal humans. Nevertheless, this is the first time they'd saw Akeno lose her composure when facing her.

It's really obvious that they hate each other.

"I see... Then I'll leave my children in your care, Tiamat-san." Mrs. Hyoudou bowed.

"Hnn..." Came the polite nod as the parent went back to the kitchen and let their guests get acquainted with the house.

As soon as she disappeared from the corner, the atmosphere immediately shifted within the group.

"Amazing. My parents bought that excuse like it was nothing." Natsu commented in an undertone.

"Well, they're quite carefree with their lives but I'll feel bad for betraying their trust from now on," Tiamat replied worriedly, unaware of the surprised looks from the rest of the group.

"Ara... So a dragon has her code of honor." Rias voiced out.

"That's really surprising." Kiba smiled.

"Shocking..." Koneko muttered while burying her face in a pillow.

"Well anyways, you will be living with Natsu and the others from now on. I trust that you take care of the other two as well for my request as their president." Rias spoke with a slight hint of seriousness present in her eyes that is directed towards the blue-haired woman.

"Of course..."

"That's good to hear."

The group began their usual talks with each other in addition to Tiamat and the Hyoudou couple. Since Tiamat becomes a resident of the Hyoudou household, she too, began to help out various types of chores around the house. It would seem like she's knowledgeable in terms of household chores and other human activities despite being a dragon. Despite being a guest, she was already eager to help with the Hyoudou couple with their work inside the house.

On the other hand, members of the Occult Research Club settled again on the living room with Akeno and the other three present amongst them. They were just talking about the Hyoudou siblings.

"So you guys have been living together for that too long, huh?" Akeno asked while sitting beside Natsu, discreetly showing her seductive advances towards him as soon as Tiamat had gone to the kitchen to help out the Hyoudou couple.

"Well, not that long. I just happen to be adopted, remember?" Natsu clarified.

"Oh, so you're an orphan too, Natsu?" Happy asked in curiosity as it was his first time ever hearing his partner's history.

"Yup... But I do get along with Issei as soon as I settled here. Things happened and we're still the same."

"Yeah although you tend to pick a lot of fights with the other kids in the neighborhood which is why we don't get a lot of friends back then." Issei snorted.

"Hahaha... What can I say? I like fights." Natsu says so proudly.

"Natsu-kun surely is a bright kid back then." Akeno smiled affectionately.

"Yeah!"

"Ara... It seems like everyone is having fun." Calling out from the kitchen was Mrs. Hyoudou and Tiamat carrying plates in their hands which are piled with glasses and two pitchers to share amongst the group. Several snacks were also given and everyone simply dug in to satisfy themselves.

"Oh, I forgot to get the syrup. Tiamat-san, can you fetch it for me. If possible, bring a few more plates for everyone. It seems like we're still short on plates here."

"Understood, Mrs. Hyoudou." Tiamat bowed and glanced back to the kitchen.

"I'll help too." Natsu got out from his seat and followed the woman from behind.

They reached the kitchen as Tiamat opened one of the drawers beneath the sink where the syrup is stored. Natsu, on the other hand, grabbed a few plates from the other section and prepared it as well.

"You don't have to help me, Natsu... I can do fine by myself, you know."

"Well, I just can't lay around while you're doing all the work, Tiamat."

"Geez, what a meddlesome person you are." A troubled sigh was released from her mouth as she looked at the pinkette who gently placed the plates on top of each other.

"That's just a part of me, Tiamat. I just like to help anyone as much as I can, no matter how small or huge the task is."

"Your kindness is way too big... It's no wonder why that black-haired woman is fond of you."

"Oh, you mean Akeno-san? She's a good friend. She's a bit of a weird person but she's actually nice and protective when it comes to her nakama although she's a bit sadistic from time to time but I like her nonetheless."

 **Crack***

A sharp sound was heard, prompting him to stop and turned towards the source. His attention landed on the Tiamat beside him who unintentionally broke the syrup in her hand, spilling its contents and some of its broken glass parts down on the floor.

"E-Eh, Tiamat?" He asked, causing the woman to snap herself back to reality and blinked her eyes in mild surprise of her actions.

"Is everything alright?" It was then, Mrs. Hyoudou came to the kitchen to check what happened and saw the unfolding scene before her.

"A-Ah, I'm really sorry... I was careless." Tiamat sincerely apologized yet again for her actions but she let it slide for now and decided to clean away the spilled contents along with the shards to prevent any accidents.

"Anyways, go get Tiamat some first-aid just in case of a bleeding."

"Yes, mom!"

As soon as she finished cleaning, Mrs. Hyoudou proceeded outside the throw away the shards while Natsu led the dumbfounded woman close to one of the tables and took out some medkit box from the shelf and prepared some bandages for her.

"Hey, you should be careful in holding things, Tiamat." Natsu lightly scolded but the woman was eerily silent.

"Of course... Sorry."

"Geez, even if you're a dragon, you should be wary about how you carry some objects or you might end up crushing them and get injured in the process."

"..."

Her hand slightly gained some small cuts and Natsu wrapped some bandages around it to let it recover. Even with her powers sealed and reduced into a level to that of a high-ranking devil, her regenerative powers are not that proficient from what she was in her full power. She ought to watch herself from now on. Even a simple thing could injure her body just like this one, however–

Her thoughts wavered and her attention was somehow clouded as soon as she heard his opinion towards his friend. Although it may not relate to her in many ways, she couldn't shake an uncomfortable feeling that welled up inside her the moment he spoke about his view on Akeno.

It was the reason behind her little accident back then since she was completely surprised.

But even so, she just couldn't accept it and stay composed for too long. It made her angry just by hearing it in his own words. If her powers were unsealed at this point, she might've accidentally leveled the entire neighborhood in just that one emotion.

"Tiamat?" The voice of the pinkette sends her back again from her thoughts.

"It's nothing... I'm fine now. You don't have to worry about me, Natsu." Tiamat inched herself farther away from him.

"Hey, I'm not done yet with the wrapping."

"I'll do it myself. I don't want to trouble you that long." Once again, she tried to distance herself from him but–

"Wait, Tiamat! I said wait a minute, Tia!" This time, he stopped him by grabbing her injured hand, finally causing her to stop from exiting the kitchen although there was another reason why she stopped in the first place.

At that moment, Natsu failed to realize of the name he blurted out earlier from his dream and called it to her without noticing it.

"Tia...?" A small mumble was heard from the woman's lips.

As if reminiscing an old memory, she looked back at the pinkette with a gentle expression. On the other hand, Natsu felt dumbfounded of what he said to her earlier. More importantly, he said it to her in which she also had the same initial words as that of the person he used to call in his dream.

Instinctively, he drew his hand away from her, letting her go before speaking frantically.

"U-Uh, sorry! I didn't mean to–umm..."

"Where did you learn that name?"

"Eh?"

He blinked his eyes as soon as she asked him. Her eyes demanded an answer as if she was serious about it. Then again, he doesn't get the name before and had been floating around in his mind due to his recent dream earlier. From all he knew, he never called someone like that except to her by accident.

"I-I don't know... I didn't mean to call you like that. It's just that–you have the same name but I don't know really. I swear!" He didn't know how but he felt like he needed to apologize. He shook his head out of embarrassment but Tiamat was simply unmoving from her position.

A few seconds of silence, she breathed out a contented sigh.

"I see..."

"Huh?" Natsu raised his head in confusion at her reply. Tiamat lightly shook her head, shadowing her face before whispering something that faintly caught his attention.

"It looks like it's still not gone after all..."

"Tiamat?"

"Nothing... Thanks for your concern, Natsu. I'll take it over from here." In just like that, she sported a smile as if the situation earlier didn't mind her a bit.

"E-Eh? Are you sure?"

"Hnn..." She nodded. Natsu reluctantly went out of the kitchen and headed straight back to the living room with the others. His mind was suddenly flooded with multiple questions regarding her.

"Did something happen to Tiamat?" Rias and the others began to ask as soon as he returned.

"A-Ah, nothing happened. She was just adjusting herself in the house since it's her first time settling here."

The group looked at each other for a moment before finally dismissing the thought and went back to their usual routines. Natsu silently joined in while having Happy sitting down at his lap, pleading most of the time to feed him in which he does while also dealing with Akeno as well.

The night seemed to go on pretty well for them.

..

..

..

A few hours later, the group eventually began to talk about Natsu and Issei's childhood which then led their parents to pick out their picture books and showed it to the others. Tiamat already joined in as soon as she finished her chores and joined along the flow. On the other hand, the two boys somehow felt embarrassed since looking at their childhood seemed a bit weird when shown to others.

"Hmm... Looks like you two are inseparable." Kiba complimented as she saw a photo of the two small boys grinning at the playground.

"That's right... Oh, and look here. They sometimes fight each other." Mrs. Hyoudou pointed another picture of them yanking each other' hair.

"Ara ara..." Akeno mused.

"Ah, come on! Stop looking at our pictures!" Natsu and Issei shouted.

"Why not? I think it's good to let others see your childhood, don't you think?" Their mother replied.

"Even so, looking at them is a bit..."

"Oh, and here is Natsu's first birthday. He ate most of the cake that day, though."

"Oi!"

Among the others, Rias and Asia were somehow fascinated at the sight of the two small brothers in the book that they all lost words to say anything towards it. Everyone could easily tell just how happy they were to see their pictures.

"H-Hey, Buchou..." Issei tried to snap the redhead back to reality but–

"Little Issei, little Issei, little Issei, little Issei..." She muttered in an undertone.

"PLEASE STOP CHANTING MY NAME!"

Meanwhile...

"Asia... Are you alright? Do you need some food?"

"Haah... Haah... Natsu-san~"

"Please stop making such erotic sounds!"

The two girls couldn't even hide their secret desires that even Akeno and the others could easily notice it just by looking at their faces.

"Ara, ara... Looks like I got another rival. Fufu."

The sadist queen smirked underneath her breath but she also noticed a small click on the blue-haired woman's tongue as soon as she spoke about the pinkette once again. Kiba and Koneko could only watch in amusement as different sides of the group continued on before them.

"Everyone seems a bit worked up right now."

"Energetic..." Koneko muttered before taking a different picture book in curiosity. Kiba also took the same action and tried sifting through their picture book until one particular photo caught his attention.

His eyes slightly narrowed at the image background of the two brothers along with a mysterious looking boy at the center. It would seem like Natsu and Issei had another friend but what really caught the knight's attention was the sword located at the back of the three. It looks like an ornament at first glance but his eyes already confirmed its true nature.

At that moment, his hands slightly trembled in which Koneko noticed before disappearing.

"Hey, Natsu... Issei... Where did you two find this?" The sudden interruption of Kiba called the two back as he showed the photo in his hands towards them.

"Ah, that. From what I remember, we did meet a boy back then. He was a nice guy but he transferred away overseas before we could even play that long with him." Natsu replied.

"Oh, yeah... I remember that one. Isn't it that one who lives in the church a long time ago? We did come often in that place to play with him." Issei followed.

"I was not talking about the boy. I was talking about the sword behind you three." Kiba corrected.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Issei asked but was ignored as Kiba somewhat drew an unnatural expression as he looked intently at the sword in the photo.

"To think that I would encounter something like this."

"What's wrong, Kiba?"

"This sword... There's no mistaking it." It was then, they noticed him finally spacing out all of sudden away from their conversation. Kiba had a rather serious expression before handing the photo back to Issei.

"You really have a nice family, you two."

"Huh? Where did that come from?"

The brothers looked at each other in confusion as soon as Kiba stood from his seat and went to the bathroom. Both of them did not really know what happened but something must've bothered him to get him all that silent and serious apart from his reserved attitude towards his friends.

And thus, the night continued.

* * *

The streets of the town are already deemed empty. Only the lights of the nearby street posts lit up the dark road and the chilling cold wind surrounded the atmosphere like an invisible blanket. The clear skies made way for the solitary moon to shine its illuminating light down, giving enough light for any bystanders to guide their way through the thick blackness of the night.

Members of the Occult Research Club gathered around in a small abandoned factory located not far from the residence since they recently got an emergency call from Sona about some Stray Devil lurking around in the area.

As representatives of the underworld, they have to eliminate them in order to protect the innocent people.

Tiamat also went along with them just to see how devils actually fight around in small scale battles against their former allies. Additionally, she served as a protector in case of a dangerous turn of event.

"This is the place."

Rias answered as they all stood before the large doors of the factory and waited. Silence enveloped the abandoned area and the faint gusts of air swoop past them as time goes by.

"Yosh! It's time to kick some stray devil ass! Let's go!" Issei summoned his Boosted Gear in response while the rest also brought their powers in preparation for a battle.

"I'm all fired up!" Natsu shouted as he flared his fists in flames.

"Are you really okay using your powers just yet? You still haven't covered the two-week rest from your fight with Riser." Akeno asked worriedly.

"It's fine... I'm examining his powers on a regular basis. There are no abnormalities regarding his powers for now." Tiamat answered.

"I didn't ask you." Came the retorted reply.

"Okaaayyy... That's enough. We still have to focus on the job." Rias broke the two women apart from their glares and proceeded on the planning of the attack.

"Alright... The information of the Stray Devil is already handed out to me. The name of the devil is Pyre who can manipulate fire and create clones of himself from his body. He betrayed his master and had been terrorizing on this part of town just recently. I'd like all of us to stay on guard. Just because he's alone, his powers and cloning ability will make it hard for us to defeat him."

"Well, in that case, we'll just have to burn him up so he can't use his abilities from the start, right?" Happy suggested with a cheer.

"I doubt it would work, considering that he already knows us by now. Pyre can detect any person with a huge load of power from a distance. The moment we stepped in his territory, he might've started cloning enough of himself to confront us." Rias explained.

"I-Is that so? Then, this is going to be hard." Happy replied. The others nodded in response.

"But this is sure strange... I can't detect anything inside that factory." Rias said.

"Your president's right... I can't sense any presence lurking inside like it was empty." Tiamat answered with the same suspicious look towards the abandoned factory in front of them.

"If Pyre is inside, we can sense his movements or his clones but nothing seemed to surface inside."

"Maybe he's planning an ambush," Asia suggested.

"Might be but Pyre is not a type of devil who would ambush his opponents. He's a bit of a battle maniac and would not hesitate to challenge anyone who stands in his way."

"Your orders, Buchou." Akeno looked at the pondering girl in anticipation.

"Guess, we have no choice... I'll have Akeno to accompany Natsu, Issei, Koneko and Kiba inside just in case of an ambush. Tiamat and I will remain outside to prevent his escape while also protecting Asia. Is that clear?"

As soon as Rias laid out the plan, everyone nodded except for one.

"What's wrong, Kiba?" The president looked at the knight in worry. His expression was unnaturally somber and lost. It was as if he was thinking of something. However, he changed his expression as soon as the attention of the group was beginning to shift towards him.

"A-Ah, it's nothing, Buchou. I understand the plan." He gave a sharp reply before lining up with the other three together with Akeno as they faced towards the door in anticipation.

"It's barred from the other side... Should we bring it down?" Issei suggested in which everyone nodded.

Koneko proceeded to place her hands towards it before using her brute force to bring it down.

"Ey..." Came the emotionless shout.

 **Crash***

Due to her overwhelming strength, the doors were easily detached from their hinges and plunged straight down to the ground inside. The light of the moon soon occupies the interior, faintly lighting the dark place inside. The five proceeded inside as their shadows also moved up front. Small clouds of dust lingered inside from the crash but they were able to concentrate their senses and tried to locate the Stray Devil.

As soon as they walked inside, the group steeled themselves, hoping for an ambush or some sort but nothing came about. They waited for a few seconds to anticipate the threat but nothing happened again.

More importantly, the place was eerily silent and the further part of the room was immensely coated in darkness despite having the light of the moon shone from the entrance.

"This is strange... No one's here." Issei finally spoke to break off the tension.

"Yeah... I can't smell anything in here. The place is too damp." Natsu replied.

"Not to mention, there is no presence inside," Akeno added.

"Maybe he fled..." Koneko answered.

However, just as they were about to close the situation, something caught Issei's attention as he glanced over to the corner of the factory. His eyes narrowed towards it in suspicion. The place was too dark for him to ascertain the mysterious sight but a faint sound of dropping liquid and a small light from the moon made him slowly realize it.

"Wait... Is that... blood?"

The others also stopped and tried to look. It didn't take long for them to realize the same thing but as soon as they discovered it, they slowly recognize the bigger picture hidden behind the small patch of blood lying on the cold floor.

"What the–"

Finally, the light of the moon outside began to show the darkened areas and the five could only shot their eyes wide at the horrendous sight.

Located in a couple of pointed steel beams lies a dismembered body of Pyre sticking in each of its tip. Excess blood dripped down from the dismembered body parts while also painting the beams in deep red. The walls behind the beams were smeared in blood. Judging from the sight itself, it would seem like he was slammed multiple times before being mutilated in the process.

Natsu and the others could only hold their mouths in disgust while they tried to restrict themselves from looking away. This is something unacceptable even to the devils themselves. Only a mad murderer or a crazed maniac could ever do such a thing. Vandalizing a corpse was never an acceptable norm even to both humans and supernatural beings.

"Just what in the world happened here?"

At that moment, a sound of footsteps were heard from the distance across the entrance. Their eyes shifted towards the thick darkness before narrowing in suspicion.

"Oyaa... It seems like I had some late visitors." The voice was discerned to be female judging from its light tone.

"Who's there?!" Akeno moved into her stance along with the others as the mysterious figure approaches them.

"It looks like you were also trying to exterminate this Stray Devil... Too bad that I came in first, nya~"

Koneko could only widen her eyes in shock as soon as the person made its appearance to the angle of the moonlight in front of them.

The figure appears to be that of a woman dressed in a black kimono. A set of large golden beads tied unto a yellow obi occupies her waistline. One noticeable feature was her pair of cat-like ears that protrudes upward from her head. Her hair is jet-black which had split bangs that showed her forehead. Her eyes also featured a cat-like appearance along with its hazel gold color.

An evil smirk escaped from her lips as she greeted the group with expectant eyes. The white-haired kouhai could only stutter from her position as soon as she recognizes the identity of the woman right in front of her who also noticed as well.

"It's been a while, Shirone~" She spoke an unusual name but Akeno and the others knew whom she was referring about and spoke her identity as well.

"Kuroka!"

..

..

..

Meanwhile, on the leveled area where the church was buried from its recent battle, two cloaked figures walked on the crumbling ground, examining the non-existent structure in wonder. Only the statue of a broken cross lay standing in the midst of the rubble. The two walked towards it before kneeling before it and left a prayer.

Moments later, the two unhooded their cloaks and revealed their faces to the outside world. One consisted of a chin-length blue hair with a green fringe located on the right side while the other wore a long pony-tailed chestnut hair that reaches down to her feet as soon as he unveiled her hood.

"What a terrible sight. A house of God reduced like this." The blue-haired woman contemplated.

"This used to be my home so I'm a bit sad of how it turned out right now."

"We hoped to find anything that could lead us to the Excaliburs but I guess nothing could be done to this place anymore."

"Not all of them. It's a good thing I came by to this place since I kinda knew it a lot."

A chuckle escaped from her companion's lips.

"I see... Anyway, we should keep moving. We ought to be careful from now on since we're in enemy territory."

"Hn..."

"Let's go, Irina."

"Yes, Xenovia!"

* * *

 **A/N: And there's the start of the new arc. Thanks for reading. I hope you like it. Anyways, I wanted to announce that I would be making a 10k word chapter in this story from now on due to the fact that I won't be updating this a lot often as of now. That's why I wanted to make each chapter long so you guys can make the wait worth it. Well at least, I hoped for that. It's really up to you all if you liked the chapter or not but I do need some criticisms from time to time so don't hold back.**

 **Leaving that aside, it seems like more characters are showing up. As what I told you a few chapters back when I voided the poll, I would want the selected girls to be showed up quickly in this arc. Oh, and before you could even ask, Kuroka is not YET part of the Vali Team which makes her a stray devil so she's entirely alone in this arc. But she will have friends eventually.**

 **Once again, thank you guys again for waiting and I'll see you all in the next chapter.**

 **\- wiErD SpeCtrumz blacking out... … ...**


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